Thousands of people including male and female and both young and old of Lekang Assembly constituency under Namsai district, belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made beeline to the multi-cultural hall ground in Namsai to join the Congress during a rally on Friday.
Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy, reciprocating the gesture, termed it as ‘mass awakening’ for the prosperity of the State. “This calls for united stand to achieve the much desired developed status of Lekang with its limited area with high population,” he said.
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“The people, particularly youth, are hardworking and energetic, but the local leader despite being elected repeatedly has never cared for his voters leading to their present horrible living condition,” said Sanjoy.
“You have revolted justifiably to demand your rights,” he said, citing example of Woman Interim group president Lokheswari Mili (Taye) and former minister Bida Taku, who highlighted as to how funds meant for Lekang and Mahadevpur were reportedly diverted,” he said.
Sanjoy, who chaired the high-powered committee on grant of LPC, said that he had submitted the report to the Arunachal Pradesh government recommending grant of permanent residential certificate (PRC) forthwith, but the government is yet to act. “All of you including men and women and the leaders have to unite to launch the agitation to achieve success,” he exhorted.
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He also claimed, “The BJP is adept in breaking the society, but the Congress, which is world’s largest and oldest party, has been uniting and integrating and advocates non-violence agitation following Gandhian spirit.” He also charged the BJP for “saluting” Nathuram Godsey, the killer of Gandhiji.
After All India Mahila Congress Committee general secretary Jarjum Ete spoke to steer their conscience, APCC general secretary Nuney Tayang, who is in charge of Namsai said that the Congress has given so much to Lekang people since the time of the State’s first MP Chowkhaman Gohain, but their desertion of the party was shocking.
“The BJP has proved to be exploiter of the poor and downtrodden section while the Congress is known as their saviour,” he said and justified unanimous decision to rejoin Congress reflecting ‘ghar wapsi’ spirit.
The prolonged agonies of the people of Sitapuri, Eraloni, Kopatoni, Wisali, Krishnapur, Kalgudi, Mahaloni, Dharampur, Mahadevpur I to IV under Lekang circle came to limelight, when their leaders one after another went on explaining their sufferings.
“We are Moran, Deori, Mishing/Miri, Adivasi, Motok/Moran, Kochair, Sonwar, Ahom and Nepali people and have been living here since time-immemorial but we have been deprived of our genuine rights for none of our faults. We have neither any land right (PRC) nor we have been given State government services nor we have received pension,” the villagers said.
“We go to State capital after obtaining ILP. Are we are not Arunchalees or are our villages not within Arunachal,” Mili asked, adding, “Are we living in China?”
She claimed, “We voted local MLA-cum-Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein but why has he neglected us like unwanted people? When Mahadevpur-I village and its nearby villagers were hit by floods and the villagers were stating in camps, Mein did not visit the victims even once.”
“Lekang area is drug-infected, but Mein has built this multi-cultural hall which is supposed to be a centre to treat drug addicts. But it is for name sake as no treatment facility has been provided as yet,” she said without mincing any word. When she announced that Lekang inhabitants are joining Congress on Friday, thousands stood up and sounded hurrah in support.
Registering strong protest against insulting comment by RSS chief Mohan Bhagvat that the RSS cadres could be ready in three days to protect the border but the army takes six months, the Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) members burnt his effigy when ‘Mohan Bhagvat hai, hai’, ‘RSS hai, hai’ slogans rented the air followed by colourful cultural programmes by local teams.
A 30-member team led by Nyasam Jongsam, Tirap team led by senior leader-cum-DCC president Chongkkom Hondik, while APCC vice presidents Thingap Taiju & MikirLollen, general secretaries, presidents Kamla Lingi (APMCC), Geli Ete (APYC) & Teli Mello Camdir (NSUI) and Seval Dal chief orgniser Kipa Kaha, among host of party leaders, were present.