The Hindu : National : Arunachal districts bordering China press for autonomy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Arunachal districts bordering China press for autonomy

Special Correspondent

Demand to pass autonomy Bill during current Parliament session
No basis for China’s claim over territory

Guwahati: The Mon Autonomous Region Demand Committee (MARDC) of Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately act upon a resolution passed by the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly recommending creation of a Mon Autonomous Council comprising West Kameng and Tawang districts bordering China, under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

“Delhi Chalo” programme

MARDC chairman Tsona Gontse Rinpoche told journalists here that the committee decided to undertake a “Delhi Chalo” programme to mount pressure on the Centre for creation of the council, by passing the Bill in the current session of Parliament.

The Assembly passed a resolution in February 2004 recommending creation of two autonomous councils — one comprising Tawang and West Kameng districts in the western corner known as Mon region and another comprising Tirap and Changlang districts in the eastern corner known as Patkai region.

Rev. Rinpoche alleged that though the State government submitted clarifications and the justification for creation of the councils, there had been no response from the Union government.

The people of the Mon region — belonging to Monpa, Sherdukpen, Mizi (Sajolang), Aka (Hrusso), Bugun and Sartang tribes — intensified their movement for autonomy and organised a series of rallies at Kalaktang, Tawang, Nafra and Thirzino between October 6 and 18.

It was resolved during the rallies that in the Lok Sabha elections, the people of the region would support only those candidates and the party supporting their cause. The MARDC chairman hoped that since all the seven legislators from the region, including Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, belong to the ruling Congress, the Mon-Autonomous Council Bill would be passed without much difficulty in Parliament.

Chief Minister in Delhi

Mr. Khandu and the PCC president have been camping in Delhi to impress upon the Central leaders the need to pass the Bill without further delay, he added.

Rev. Rinpoche represents the Lumla Assembly constituency in Tawang district as a Congress legislator.

No basis for China’s claim

To a question, he said there was no basis for China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh’s territory, including Tawang.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News Update

Stories in this Section