Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Aug 14: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Friday withdrew its proposed 12-hour statewide bandh scheduled for August 17 following the State Cabinet’s approval of the recommendations of the High-Power Committee on issues related to the 80:20 job recruitment ratio.
As per the Cabinet-approved uniform eligibility criteria for direct recruitment to all group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ services/posts under the state government, candidates seeking direct recruitment will have to meet three mandatory requirements: permanent residency in Arunachal Pradesh, Indigenous/APST status, and proficiency in an indigenous tribal language of the state.
Welcoming the Cabinet decision, AAPSU president Meje Taku said the new framework would provide greater employment opportunities to local youths and also help protect indigenous languages by requiring candidates to learn their own dialect.
Addressing a press conference here, Taku urged the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) to implement the new guidelines in upcoming recruitment examinations.
“We will not allow the APPSC and APSSB to conduct any examination if the new guidelines are not followed,” he said.
However, the Cabinet decision has triggered opposition in Lekang Circle, where several community and student organisations enforced a 12-hour bandh on Friday.
The All Lekang Youth and Students’ Union, All Moran Students’ Union (Arunachal Pradesh Committee), Deori Youths and Students’ Union, Kachari Students’ Union, Ahom Students’ Union and Adivasi Students’ Union shut entry points to the subdivision, bringing vehicular movement to a halt. The bandh was later called off in the evening.
The organisations are demanding that candidates holding domicile certificates of Lekang Circle be made eligible for government employment in the state. They had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Pema Khandu on August 12 seeking inclusion of the demand.
According to a source, representatives of the protesting organisations were holding discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and local MLA Likha Soni over the issue.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front (AFTF) welcomed the Cabinet decision to scrap the 80:20 job recruitment ratio and introduce uniform eligibility criteria for government recruitment.
AFTF chairman Tadak Nalo said the decision marked the culmination of a five-year-long movement and dedicated its success to the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
Under the new framework, candidates will be required to possess a valid Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC), an APST certificate and proficiency in any notified Indigenous Tribal Language of Arunachal Pradesh.
Nalo also rejected objections raised by community-based organisations, student unions and NGOs of Lekang Circle in Namsai district, which have termed the Cabinet decision “unconstitutional and illegal”. He maintained that the decision was taken within the legal framework.
The AAPSU, meanwhile, raised concern over the recent firing incident at Hime village under Kangku circle of Lower Siang district along the Assam-Arunachal border and the subsequent economic blockade imposed in the state by Assam-based organisations.
The union said it would visit the disputed area to assess the ground situation and stressed that inter-state boundary issues should be examined with proper historical understanding.