NEW DELHI, July 16 - Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Saturday clarified that neither the BJP nor the Central government has anything to do with whatever is happening in Arunachal Pradesh, contending that the political instability that has plagued the State during the last seven months is only due to divisions within the Congress.
�We have nothing to do with the internal affairs of the Congress,� Rijiju told newsmen in a briefing.
�Change of leadership in Arunachal Pradesh is an internal matter of the Congress. The BJP has nothing to do with it. The BJP was not in power in Arunachal Pradesh earlier, nor it is in power now. The BJP has only supported the government. Whatever has happened is due to the tussle over leadership within the Congress,� the MP from Arunachal Pradesh pointed out.
The Union Minister said he only wished that there was political stability in Arunachal Pradesh as it is a sensitive and important State.
Last week in Guwahati, Rijiju had stated that the Centre had acted only on the suggestion of Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa in this matter and that the recent Supreme Court verdict was not against it.
�It is not our case. It will be a total misjudgement if somebody says that it is a judgement against the Central government. The Centre had only acted on the basis of the Governor�s report,� Rijiju clarified on the sidelines of the North East Democratic Alliance�s conclave.
�Whatever may be the political issue, it is within the Congress party and it is in the State Legislative Assembly. We are entirely not part of the problem,� he said.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference this afternoon, Congress communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said that first the Supreme Court and then the people of Arunachal Pradesh and their elected representatives have rejected the politics of grabbing power by force practised by the BJP.
�It has also been established that the Indian National Congress has the support of the people and it is the only party which can provide governance in the region. Amit Shah and the BJP, who have almost made it a habit of trying to topple elected governments and weaning away legislators of other parties through various underhanded means, must learn some lessons on how democratic societies function,� Surjewala said.
