Hunger Strike in Arunachal Pradesh taking its Toll

A Correspondent

ITANAGAR: An elderly woman sitting on a hunger strike had to be taken to a city hospital after she complained of health issues on Thursday. Moreover soon after being discharged from hospital, she is continuing her fast even though her health was deteriorating.

This is the third case since the All Arunachal Pradesh Anti Corruption Students Union (AAPACSU) and All Yobin Students Union (AYSU) jointly launched an indefinite hunger strike here demanding the immediate cancellation of rights extended to ex-Assam Rifles serviceman to partake in local Panchayati Raj system.

The AAPACSU and AYSU hunger strike reached its third day on Tuesday with the State Government yet to respond to their demands.

Giving this information, Tana Ganesh, president of AAPACSU said that few protesters sitting on hunger strike had to be taken to the hospital for medical checkups and their numbers are expected to increase in the coming days.

“But despite the deteriorating health conditions, they are adamant to continue their protest till the State government fulfils all their demands,” he said.

He also said that out of at least 40 protesters sitting in the tennis court complex, many protesters came all the way from remote Vijoynagar, Changlang district to press for their rights in the larger interest of the marginalized Yobin tribe.

“My body was also shivering this morning due to hunger, but being their leader I can not step back now as they reinforced their faith and belief in me”, Tana said

Referring to his heated argument with the ADC a day earlier, which went viral on social media, he alleged that the administration does not bother much about the health status of the protesters as they also failed to depute a medical team at the protest site.

Had the police team deployed in the park premises not called the emergency medical team, many people could have faced serious health problems. This is how a hunger strike is being dealt with here,” Tana underlined.

“We do not understand how the state government can be so inhuman, and completely ignore the decade’s long plight of the community. Maybe they are expecting some of the protesters to fell ill or die,” a bystander lamented.

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