Arunachal Pradesh governor gives Supreme Court reports

Arunachal Pradesh governor J.P. Rajkhowa on Thursday submitted in the Supreme Court all the six reports he had sent to President Pranab Mukherjee which resulted in the imposition of President’s Rule in the state.

Besides alleging physical assault by a minister, the governor had cited a “cow slaughter” protest in front of Raj Bhavan as a sign of the complete collapse of law and order to justify the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. The governor also attached photographs of a “cow” — a Mithun — being slaughtered outside Raj Bhavan.

Meanwhile, former Arunachal chief minister Nabam Tuki on Thursday filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court challenging imposition of President’s Rule in the state.

A five-judge Constitution bench of Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Justice N.V. Ramana had ordered the Centre to file its response, if any, by January 29 and directed further hearing in the matter on February 1.

In response to the directions of the bench, the governor submitted to the Supreme Court, in a sealed cover, his reports to the President and the Central government on the political crisis in the state, including the one in which he recommended President’s Rule be imposed.

In the January 16 report, the governor said he was abused, scolded with threatening words and the former CM and nine of his ministers even attempted to physically assaulted him. The governor said he was rescued by the Raj Bhavan staff. He said chief minister Tuki and his ministers were publicly assailing and condemning him by issuing statements and also at public platforms/rallies for preponing the Assembly session. Expressing his anguish, the governor, listing a host of reasons warranting imposition of President’s Rule, said his functioning as the head of the state has been made impossible.

He also brought to the President’s notice as to how three dissident MLAs of Tirap, Changland and Longding district had accused the governor of engaging the outlawed under ground outfit NSCN(K) to pressure them and their families to support Mr Tuki as chief minister.