Congress to Centre: Stop giving lip service to Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], July 12 (ANI): The opposition Congress Party in Arunachal Pradesh has accused the Centre of giving "lip service" to the state in spite of knowing that it has been ravaged by floods. In a statement issued here, the president of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee, Takam Sanjoy, described the situation in the hilly state as very tragic and unfortunate. "The state has been experiencing never before seen natural calamities triggered by incessant rains, land and mud slides, and floods. Eight houses adjacent to a Baptist church in Laptup village in Papum Pare district came under huge landslides on Tuesday afternoon," Sanjoy said. "Regrettably, the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is least bothered about the people of this state. Prime Minister Modi had a telephonic conversation with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananada Sonowal on Monday, but never bothered to inquire about the untold sufferings of Arunachalees," he added. "The NDA Government has been more worried about Jammu and Kashmir and pumping in thousands of crores, while giving only lip service to Arunachal Pradesh, and too, intermittently," Sanjoy stated further. Describing Arunachalees as "true sentinels" of the country's borders in the north east, as they inhabited areas located ahead of army and or ITBP establishments along the international border, the APCC president said, "If any enemy bullet comes, it would hit an Arunachalee first, not any army or ITBP personnel." He also accused Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju for being in a state of "deep slumber". "Despite being in-charge of disaster management in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he has neither bothered nor inquired about the situation in the state, nor has he extended any help to Arunachalees, especially at a time when they are in distress caused by nature," Sanjoy said. He also asked the Centre why there has been a delay in deploying a permanent NDRF unit when funds for the same have been sanctioned. Sajoy issued a fervent appeal to the state government to rush rescue teams to the flood affected areas, and also grant ex-gratia to the next of kin of all deceased. (ANI)