Violence still on in Arunachal despite CM vow

Guwahati: After failing to hold an all-party meeting, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu convened the meeting of all the community leaders on Monday and apprised them that his government has decided not to grant permanent residence certificate (PRC) to the non-Arunachal Pradesh Schedule Tribe (non-APST) of Namsai and Changlang districts.

Earlier, the all-party meeting failed to take place as no political party leader turned up for the meeting.

Arunachal Pradesh Congress president Takam Sanjay, however, told reporters that he has not received any invitation for the all-party meeting.

“I came to know about the all-party meeting called by chief minister Pema Khandu through television news only,” said Mr Sanjay while regretting that law and order situation of Itanagar has gone out of control as the ruling establishment has failed to discharge its duties.

Even after repeated announcement and appeal that the state government was not going to grant PRC, violence continued to rock the state capital area. On Sunday night, at least a dozen business establishments, including a gun shop, was looted and vandalised by the protestors.

Defying the curfew, protestors also ransacked the office of the deputy commissioner and damaged public property and vehicles after a protestor succumbed to injuries in police firing.

Protesters also torched and vandalised the residence of the district commissioner and set ablaze the house of environment and forest minister Nabam Rebia, who is also the chairman of the committee that recommended PRC for six communities.