Arson mars bandh in Arunachal Pradesh

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Incidents of arson marred the dawn-to-dusk capital bandh called by All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) on Tuesday to protest non-fulfillment of its 14-point charter of demands including, transfer of Education Commissioner.

Bandh enforcers set ablaze two government vehicles along the NH-415 near the Civil Secretariat here, a senior police official said. One vehicle of a magistrate on duty along with a bus run by Arunachal Pradesh State Transport, were set on fire by the bandh supporters, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Chuku Apa informed. The bandh supporters also pelted stones and burnt tyres in various parts of the State capital, the IGP said, adding no bandh callers were arrested by police.

The bandh, which began at 5 am, badly affected normal lives in the Capital Complex Region comprising, Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas. The bandh was total with all business establishments, educational institutions, banks, post offices and markets remaining closed, while all sorts of vehicular traffic remained off the road. Attendances in private offices were nil while a thin attendance was reported in a few government offices, Capital SP Jimmy Chiram said.

State Home Minister Bamang Felix during a press conference on Monday informed that the government had already fulfilled the demands of the union and the action taken report was provided to the union on October 15. Felix, who is also the government spokesperson, stated that the competent authority from the education department examined the demands and had furnished the action taken report within 40 days, resolving almost all the issues.

The ANSU had submitted its demands to the State government earlier on several occasions relating to the education sector in Nyishi inhabited districts of the state besides, demanding immediate transfer of Education Commissioner Niharika Rai and withdrawal of an FIR lodged against the union leaders recently.

The demands include, immediate cancellation of tender for procurement and supply of school uniforms by the director of secondary education; corpus fund for teachers' welfare for every school of the state, to carry out curriculum activities; immediate recruitment of trained graduate and post graduate teachers against sanctioned vacant posts.

The demands also include, revocation of the direct bank transfer (DBT) system for scholarship or creation of a better system; introduction of uniformity of school fees for various private schools; closure of all zero enrolment schools; proper utilization of infrastructure for better purposes among others.

Felix during the press conference while responding to the demand for transfer of the education commissioner, informed that he has been performing well and there is no reason why she should be shunted out. Reacting to the ANSU's demand for the withdrawal of the FIR registered against the executive members of the union, Felix said that there is no provision to withdraw an FIR by the State government. He added the matter is under investigation and if the union feels there was no wrongdoing by the members, they should wait for the final outcome.

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