Cong resents 'order' to attend spiritual event

From our correspondent

Itagar, Sept 8: The All Aruchal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has resented the State government’s alleged directive to all ministers and legislators to attend a programme of spiritual leader Ravi Shankar at Banquet Hall on Friday.

In a representation to Assembly Speaker TN Thongdok on Thursday, APCC President Takam Sanjoy and his team said the directive was a gross violation of Article 168-177 of the Indian Constitution.

According to the Congress, the government had through the assembly Under Secretary directed all ministers and MLAs on September 5 to attend Shankar’s programme.

An unclear copy of the walkie-talkie message, through which the directive was conveyed, was made available to The Aruchal Pioneer.

The Congress said the directive to the MLAs, who are democratically elected to work with a basic protocol, has infringed the independent status of the legislative organ of the state as “Ravi Shankar does not have any official or executive and legislative position which demands compulsory attendance of MLAs and ministers”.

Apart from violating the provisions of the Constitution this time, the State government had misused State’s exchequer for the visit of various religious leaders, the APCC said.

“In addition, the government is hell-bent upon not sparing the legislative institution,” the APCC said, questioning how an official without the Speaker’s approval and consent could issue such a directive. The party urged the Speaker to initiate an enquiry into the matter.