Arunachal Pradesh govt asks ANSU to call off 12-hour bandh in Itanagar

The Arunachal Pradesh home minister said that the 14-point demands of the ANSU have already been met on part of the state government, hence the bandh call on Tuesday is “not justified”.

Bamang Felix, the home minister of Arunachal Pradesh, has urged the All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) to withdraw the call for Capital complex region bandh on Tuesday in the greater interest of the state and its people. Notably, the ANSU had last week called for the 12-hour bandh on November 23 over a host of demands, which include the withdrawal of FIRs registered against its leaders after an agitation. Included among the demands of the ANSU is the immediate transfer of state education commissioner Niharika Rai – who the union claims is “inefficient in delivering justice to the students”.

Despite the call for bandh in Itanagar, the Arunachal Pradesh government has said that the police and the administration would ensure thesafety and security of the people.  (File Photo / PTI)

However, in a press conference on Monday, the Arunachal Pradesh home minister said that the 14-point demands of the ANSU have already been met on part of the state government, hence the bandh call on Tuesday is “not justified”. Bamang Felix, who is also the official spokesperson of the Arunachal Pradesh government, pointed out that the state education department had presented an action report, where almost all matters were resolved, within 40 days of facing the demands from the students' union.

Although education commissioner Niharika Rai has not been transferred yet as she is “performing her duty”, the Arunachal Pradesh government will be looking into the various allegations of her being incompetent to hold government posts, the home minister said. The matter is under investigation, he added, highlighting that the union should wait for the final outcome.

Notably, members of the ANSU had reportedly clashed with the police last week when they tried to enter the civil secretariat in Itanagar and present their 14-point resolution. Later, the union called for the bandh on November 23 and threatened to intensify the agitation if the demands were not met.

Home minister Felix, in the meanwhile, has said that the state government would like to assure the citizens of the capital region that the police and the administration would ensure safety and security of the people.

“While all government offices will function normally, state transport busses will be placed for lifting and dropping of employees,” the home minister said while appealing to the business establishments to open their shops.

There is an exam scheduled under the CBSE board on November 23 and considering their situation, the student body should call off the bandh, Felix said.