PPA reiterates demand for amendment of Statehood Act

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, May 29: The People’s Party of Aruchal (PPA) has reiterated its demand for amendment of the ‘defective’ Statehood Act of 1987 and place the state under Article 371 (A) that gives a status at par with states of galand and Mizoram.

Stating that economical self-reliance is the only way out, the party urged the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju to initiate necessary steps for the amendment of Article 371 (H) in the Parliament.

Addressing a consultative meeting of the party executives here on Sunday, PPA Central Working Committee Chairman Kamen Ringu said, “We also need to introspect on the continued overriding special powers vested on the Governor of Aruchal Pradesh when we already have 60 democratically elected legislators.”

Emphasizing on the need to bring an end to the dependency syndrome, Ringu further said, “The time has come for the state government to liaise with the central government to amend, annul or correct the Statehood Act of 1987.”

The party also called upon the people of the state, its legislators, members of various civil societies, intellectuals, student organizations and elected Panchayat leaders to stand united in its demand for the constitutiol amendment of Article 371 (H) in the Parliament, a party release informed here today.

“The genesis of all the problems in the state today is nothing other than the utter lack of self confidence in our leaders because our state is still far from being self-reliant. We all need to introspect; to question ourselves over the recurring political mess; the youth unrest because of general feeling of insecurity among the young generation in the state, and of course, the constant floor crossings by the elected legislatures,” the party said.

PPA President Kahfa Bengia said, “The decade-old dependency syndrome on the Central grants is the main reason for the burning Chakma and Hajong refugee issue not being able to be settled till date because of complete lack of political will.”

“Today, we are not in a position to blame anybody but ourselves because our political system in the state has been made to evolve in such a way that for any of the problems in the state we look for the answers in New Delhi. We have not been able to find the fil solution to this problem because no state leaders of ruling political parties at the Centre have had the guts to put forth the genuineness of this issue with the Central leaders. This is an issue which is no less dangerous than the time bomb that needs to be defused at the earliest,” he added.