President Pranab Mukherjee's decision to impose President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh has led to a war of words between the ruling dispensation and the Opposition.
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Though the Congress has approached the Supreme Court as a last resort to rescind the presidential decision, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said it is the Centre's right and responsibility to fix the situation.
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1. Calling the decision to impose President's Rule an 'injustice' to the people of Arunachal, Former Chief minister Nabam Tuki said "I am sure we will get justice. People are upset over President's rule imposed in Arunachal Pradesh, hope SC would ensure justice."
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2. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Modi government has murdered democracy on Republic Day. Truth is that during Modi ji's government, Raj Bhawans have become den of 'Pracharaks' of RSS and that is what happened in Arunachal Pradesh."
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3. "There is no constitutional crisis in Arunachal, it is a deliberate attempt on part of the Govbernmnet and the Centre to create a situation. Imposition of President's rule is totally uncalled for, it is unconstitutional" said Congress leader K.C. Mittal
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4. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on the other hand called it a murder of the Constitution and democracy.
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5. JDU spokesperson K C Tyagi condemned the decision and termed it as a 'black day' "This is against the spirit of cooperative federalism. It is a threatening signal for the future and also for the regional parties. We appeal to all the non-BJP parties to raise this question."
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6. National Communist Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon expressed his surprise as to why President Mukherjee gave his nod to the Centre's recommendation within a span of few hours, saying "The President had expressed his views in the morning yesterday asking the Centre as to what was the hurry. But in a matter of few hours, he put his seal of approval which only suggests that probably there was some pressure which is not in the interest of the constitutional values."
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7. Justifying the Centre's move, Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju said that this is not Central government's creation. If Cong is challenging President's rule in Arunachal, that amounts to Congress challenging the decision of President of India.
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"Not the 1st time that President's rule is imposed in a state. Congress imposed President's rule more than 100 times in history of independent India," Rijiju added.
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8. Hitting out at the Congress for escalating the row over recommendation of President's rule in Arunachal, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said "Today, there is a constitutional crisis in Arunachal because of the Congress and it is the Centre's right and responsibility to fix the situation."
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9. Echoing similar sentiments, BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said that it is not the first time that a President's rule has been imposed in a state. "Congress has been a master, creating conditions. Cong has no basis to complain but yes if they want to make this political issue they are welcome," he added.
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10. Attacking the Congress, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said that Government of India's decision is going to thriven by facts and merits not by sentiments.
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President Mukherjee yesterday gave his assent to the Union Cabinet's recommendation for imposition of President's rule in Arunachal after being satisfied that the law and order in the border state was sensitive.
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The decision came right after he hosted the 'At Home' at Rashtrapati Bhavan for French President Francois Hollande as part of the 67th Republic Day celebrations.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed two retired civil servants G.S. Patnaik and Y.S. Dadwal as advisors to Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.
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Arunchal plunged into a political crisis in June last year after a section of the Congress MLAs (14 of them) was suspended by Speaker Nadam Rebia, along with two ministers.
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The Congress retained its majority, but very soon Deputy Speaker T.N. Thongdok cleared an impeachment motion against the Speaker 'owing to his personal relation with (then) Chief Minister Nabam Tuki'.
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The Congress, which is determined to stall the ratification of President's rule in the state, is mulling both legal and political options to fight the same. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting yesterday.
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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear the Congress' plea challenging the Cabinet's decision at 2 p.m. today.
