BJP Hits Back at Congress Over Politicization of Constitutional and Strategic Issues in Arunachal Pradesh

The Arunachal Pradesh BJP unit has charged the Congress with exploiting sensitive issues for political gain, particularly Article 371(H), the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978, and the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). According to BJP spokesperson and Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi, all three measures were introduced or ratified under previous Congress governments.

Communicating with the press, Mithi noted the historical context: Article 371(H) came into effect in 1986 when Congress was in power at both the state and central levels. Additionally, the APFRA was enacted during a Congress administration, while SUMP received the nod from a Congress-led Union government in 2009. Mithi alleged that Congress continues to raise these issues without a factual basis, solely aiming for electoral advantage.

The opposition's critique surfaces after Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee President Bosiram Siram's meetings with senior Congress leaders in New Delhi, where he advocated for amendments to Article 371(H) and flagged issues with SUMP and APFRA. Mithi underlined the SUMP's importance, especially in light of ecological and geostrategic concerns posed by China's infrastructure on the Brahmaputra River, reinforcing SUMP's potential benefits in power generation, water regulation, and flood control.

(With inputs from agencies.)