With the first phase of polling underway and upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls in Arunachal Pradesh, everyone’s battle ready. There’s a palpable sense of urgency and restlessness in the air. In this connection, I was treated to a rude shock when I got to view a video interview of Minister of State Kiren Rijiju.
I thought this was political posturing which gives new meaning to getting battle-ready for elections. The first time, I watched the video interview in disbelief. Then, a barrage of thoughts started flowing from my mind. It was getting difficult to hold back and confine the sea of feelings brewing inside my chest. I decided I had to give vent to these thoughts and attempt to see through the veil of uneasy calm, yet fragile political landscape of Itanagar. Watch the video:
Kiren Rijiju starts by saying he will never allow Arunachal Pradesh to suffer till the time he is Member of Parliament. That was said like a boss – I thought – or rather, like a don who would pledge protection to those faithful to him. Then, he goes on to take the much-coveted credit for successfully derailing the Supreme Court of India verdict to process and grant citizenship to the Chakma-Hajong people in a time-bound manner, within three months to be precise. The MoS made this a feather in his cap when he admittedly managed to defy the Supreme Court order. Rijiju then talked at length, taking turns in attacking the opposition, talking about how the grant of PRC issue of the Lekang constituency has been indefinitely shelved and justifying the steps taken by the government.
Most importantly, he stressed the peaceful development of Arunachal Pradesh and drove home the point that they are committed to this cause. In the end, I was duped for a second into believing that everything is hunky dory in the whole of Arunachal, but the fact of the matter is: there is so much missing from the picture. Also, there are too many unanswered questions. When the MoS talked of the ground reality with reference to thwarting the Chakma-Hajong citizenship process and protests and violence with reference to granting PRC to the genuine calls from Lekang constituency, these issues and the steps of mitigation taken by the government thereafter deserved greater emphasis, deeper analysis and introspection.
Intriguingly, the MoS conveniently preferred to avoid commenting on the core issues pertaining to both the matters of Chakma-Hajong citizenship row and Lekang constituency PRC demands as if to say that some matters are best swept under the carpet. So, I realised that this was all about political posturing in anticipation of ensuing Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. For example, an in-depth analysis of the underlying truth of the Chakma-Hajong citizenship row would belie the nonchalant manner in which the MoS fleetingly touched upon the issue in his interview.
Incidentally, sticking to this flawed stand seems to pay off handsome political dividends. There’s perhaps not a single political leader among the veritable who’s who in the political circles of Itanagar who hasn’t, at some point, expressed some sort of opposition to the Chakma and Hajong people. Meanwhile, the recent incidents in Itanagar in connection with the PRC demands of the people of Lekang constituency, however, are a case in point which gives a peek into the underbelly of the political culture of the state.
These incidents were stark cases of anarchy and ‘mobocracy’ in the state. Eventually, It can ultimately force the government to literally bow down. Subsequently, opposition leaders were seen calling for the resignation of the Chief Minister and also planning to meet the Governor in this regard. Indeed, what is said and done in Itanagar might be applicable across Arunachal Pradesh, but what goes on there might not be a reflection of the whole of the state.