PAJSC to launch 7-day dharna in Itanagar, urges government response to demands

The Vice Chairman of the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC), Tadak Nalo, announced that PAJSC will stage a 7-day sit-in dharna at the tennis court in Itanagar from September 26 to October 2.

This move comes as none of the 13-point charter of demands have been addressed and fulfilled by the state government over the past year since the revelation of the paper leakage scam by Lt. Gyamar Padang on August 28, 2022.

Tadak Nalo explained, “We had to postpone the dharna scheduled for September 18, but for some reason, it couldn’t happen. So, we approached DC Talo Potom to request an indefinite dharna until our demands were met. However, the DC granted us only 7 days for our sit-in dharna. I want to urge the people of the state not to take this dharna lightly.”

He continued, “We were hopeful that the reformative measures would be discussed during the Arunachal Pradesh assembly session, but it didn’t occur. We simply want to appeal that we have no desire to protest or take to the streets if the government fulfils its promises to PAJSC.”

Nalo emphasized, “We are all aspirants participating in this dharna, and the government’s delay will also affect our age eligibility to appear in the exams.”

The 7-day sit-in dharna is planned to draw attention to PAJSC’s demands and encourage a response from the government.

It may be mentioned that the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC) has been demanding to declare null and void the APPSC exams from 2014-2022, in which alleged malpractices are found.

The 13-point charter of demands put forth by the PAJSC includes:

1. The chairman, secretary, members and all other officials of APPSC from 2014 to 2022 must be immediately brought under the purview of investigation. If any discrepancies are reported, arrests must be made immediately.
2. Immediate constitution of a fast-track court for prosecution of the accused involved in the APPSC paper leakage scams.
3. Immediate establishment of state administrative tribunal.
4. Immediate endorsement of (enforcement directorate) and court-monitored probe and also immediate seizure of assets/properties (movable and immovable) of all the accused and the incumbents of APPSC along with their kit and kin.
5. Immediate disclosure of the status of the various departmental enquiry reports initiated so far against the various suspended or arrested officials and subsequent dismissal/ termination thereof.
6. Immediate disclosure of the three-member committee report.
7. Suspension of all the upcoming examination till the completion of investigation process and endorse UPSC to conduct the upcoming examination till the completion of investigation process.
8. The higher officials above the rank of Deputy Secretary serving between 2014 to 2022 must be investigated and arrested if necessary.
9. Any exam found to have involved malpractices like paper leakage scams must be immediately declared ‘null and void’.
10. Inclusion of two members from the aspirants in the preparation of SOP (standard operating procedure) of APPSC.
11. Immediate legislation and implementation of whistle blower act with special provisions for the protection and rewards to the whistle blowers.
12. Justice for Mudang Yabyang, person with Disability (PWD) and the streamlining of selection criteria for PWD candidates.
13. Immediate recalling of the three officials posted under APPSC

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