ITANAGAR, Feb 21 - Normal life was today paralysed in the twin capital cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun as a group of students and civil society organisations enforced a 48-hour capital bandh, seeking changes in the proposals made by a government-appointed panel on the issue of granting permanent residential certificate (PRC) to non-Arunachalees.
The Joint High Power Committee (JHPC) on PRC issue has, after holding a series of parleys with the stakeholders, reportedly recommended granting of PRC to six non-APST communities, who have been residing in Namsai and Changlang districts for decades.
The proposal has evoked strong resentment among several community based groups and students� organisations, who claimed that the rights and the interests of indigenous people will be compromised if the State Government accepts it.
Government offices, banks and post offices, and markets and all business establishments remained closed today. The capital streets wore a deserted look as all types of vehicular traffic were off the road. The bandh supporters blocked the roads by setting tyres on fire. They also pelted stones damaging several vehicles, prompting the police to detain 21 of them.
The bandh callers demanded that the government reconsider the JHPC recommendations, which is set to be tabled in the Assembly during the ongoing budget session.
Environment and Forests Minister Nabam Rebia, who headed the JHPC, told reporters at the Assembly complex that the Committee has held nine sittings with the stakeholders before preparing the report.
He added that the recommendation to grant PRC to non-APSTs was a consensus decision and the report, already submitted to the State Government, will be presented before the Assembly.
