Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) demands unconditional release of detainees under APUAPA

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) Monday urged the state government for the immediate unconditional release of 36 people detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (APUAPA) 2014 during the recent 72-hour state-wide bandh within five days. The youth wing of the Congress also threatened to launch a democratic movement against the government if they were not released. In a representation to state Home Minister Bamang Felix on Monday, the APYC pointed out that the peace-loving state is engulfed with a range of issues that are of utmost importance, including the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) paper leak fiasco. "Our state is going berserk more so due to the recent indiscriminate detention of social activists and other protestors during the 72-hour bandh call, the factor being the failure of the government to fulfil all 13 points of the charter of demands placed by the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC), which was assured by the chief minister himself on February 18 last, after an eight-hour marathon meeting," the representation said.

The failure of the government to conduct a time-bound probe or to take resolute steps in the fiasco has eventually infuriated the activists into taking such a stern course of action. It pointed out that time and again, corrupt officers and officials are likely to be reinstated to their positions due to a lack of political will. The detention of 36 people and the registration of 12 cases registered against them under the APUAPA is quite ironic, as they were already under magisterial remand. Furthermore, the extension of their remand from 12 to 30 days is inhumane, as they are not criminals, as referred to by the ICR DC, but activists who are fighting for all against a corrupt system and to safeguard the fundamental rights of individuals as enshrined in Article 16(1) of the Constitution. Besides, they are helping the government fight against corruption, APYC President Tarh Jonny said in the representation.

"Arresting social activists in order to silence critics and to deliberately conceal failures is a symbol of failed governance. In fact, criticism and opposition should be a part of the system to ensure a healthy democratic system; otherwise, it would transform into an autocracy where anarchy is inevitable," the representation said. "By punishing them and harassing their kith and kin, it will do no good as it will only escalate the situation, which will further enrage the protestors and also boost the morale of corrupt officers," the party observed. The APYC has sought the intervention of the Home Minister to facilitate the unconditional release of all the detainees within a period of five days.

Also Read: Bid to ramp up mitigation measures in human elephant conflict (HEC) hotspots

Also Watch: