Itanagar, May 6 (AGENCIES): The Arunachal Citizens' Rights (ACR) group Friday urged the central government to recall Governor Gen (Retd) J.J. Singh for airing a wrong statement that the helicopter carrying Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu had landed safely.
'The governor has committed the gravest act of misconduct by irresponsibly airing false statements saying that all was well and the helicopter had landed safely with all the passengers onboard somewhere in Bhutan. Such grave lapses are not expected from the first citizen of the state and this needs to be addressed by the proper authority,' ACR chairperson Bamang Tago told IANS, while demanding Singh's recall.
Khandu and four others -- two pilots, a personal security officer, and the sister of the Tawang legislator -- were killed in the helicopter crash Saturday. The bodies were retrieved from the crash site at Lobotang near the 13,700 feet Sela Pass in Tawang district Thursday.
Questioning the serious lapses on part of all those concerned for the safety of the chief minister, the ACR demanded that the central government constitute a high-level enquiry committee to probe into the matter.
'It's surprising to note how such an important person was allowed to board a single- engine helicopter in a high altitude mountainous terrain like Tawang where the climate is perennially cloudy with visibility of not beyond a few hundred metres, and that too with only a single security officer to accompany him,' he said.
The rights activist also questioned why the government held the cabinet meeting after eight hours when the helicopter was reported missing at around 11.15 a.m. Saturday.
On the supposed telephonic conversation of the chief minister with Yashi Tsering, the commissioner to the chief minister, after the report that the helicopter had gone missing, Tago asked: 'Was our chief minister alive and did he make that call? What happened afterwards? Was there not one accident or a series of incidents leading to the crash and the tragic death of five people?'.
He said the government should also investigate as to who was responsible for reports that Khandu's chopper made an emergency landing in eastern Bhutan; was safe and will be touching Guwahati for refuelling on its way back to Itanagar on the same day.
'The governor has committed the gravest act of misconduct by irresponsibly airing false statements saying that all was well and the helicopter had landed safely with all the passengers onboard somewhere in Bhutan. Such grave lapses are not expected from the first citizen of the state and this needs to be addressed by the proper authority,' ACR chairperson Bamang Tago told IANS, while demanding Singh's recall.
Khandu and four others -- two pilots, a personal security officer, and the sister of the Tawang legislator -- were killed in the helicopter crash Saturday. The bodies were retrieved from the crash site at Lobotang near the 13,700 feet Sela Pass in Tawang district Thursday.
Questioning the serious lapses on part of all those concerned for the safety of the chief minister, the ACR demanded that the central government constitute a high-level enquiry committee to probe into the matter.
'It's surprising to note how such an important person was allowed to board a single- engine helicopter in a high altitude mountainous terrain like Tawang where the climate is perennially cloudy with visibility of not beyond a few hundred metres, and that too with only a single security officer to accompany him,' he said.
The rights activist also questioned why the government held the cabinet meeting after eight hours when the helicopter was reported missing at around 11.15 a.m. Saturday.
On the supposed telephonic conversation of the chief minister with Yashi Tsering, the commissioner to the chief minister, after the report that the helicopter had gone missing, Tago asked: 'Was our chief minister alive and did he make that call? What happened afterwards? Was there not one accident or a series of incidents leading to the crash and the tragic death of five people?'.
He said the government should also investigate as to who was responsible for reports that Khandu's chopper made an emergency landing in eastern Bhutan; was safe and will be touching Guwahati for refuelling on its way back to Itanagar on the same day.
Arunachal is integral part of India, reiterates Gamlin
Itanagar, May 6 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and there was no doubt about it, Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin said today brushing off China’s repeated claims over the State’s territory.
He said any problem occurring along the international boundary was reported to the Defence and External Affairs ministries for redressing as this was beyond the jurisdiction of the State government.
“It is for New Delhi to take up the matter with their Beijing counterparts,” Mr. Gamlin said.
Denying any incursion, he said Indian and Chinese villagers sometimes crossed the Indo-Sino boundary. “It is demarcated by an imaginary line which cannot be described as incursion.” China claims 90,000 square kilometres of Indian Territory including the whole of Arunachal, which India denies.
Mr. Gamlin appealed to the people to remain calm as the State was passing through a crucial juncture with the death of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu. “It is time for us to stand united and work with consensus to take Mr. Khandu’s dream of a prosperous Arunachal forward,” he said.
Asked about the PDS scandal in which former chief minister Gegong Apang is on bail, he said the law would take its own course in all cases of corruption.
He said any problem occurring along the international boundary was reported to the Defence and External Affairs ministries for redressing as this was beyond the jurisdiction of the State government.
“It is for New Delhi to take up the matter with their Beijing counterparts,” Mr. Gamlin said.
Denying any incursion, he said Indian and Chinese villagers sometimes crossed the Indo-Sino boundary. “It is demarcated by an imaginary line which cannot be described as incursion.” China claims 90,000 square kilometres of Indian Territory including the whole of Arunachal, which India denies.
Mr. Gamlin appealed to the people to remain calm as the State was passing through a crucial juncture with the death of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu. “It is time for us to stand united and work with consensus to take Mr. Khandu’s dream of a prosperous Arunachal forward,” he said.
Asked about the PDS scandal in which former chief minister Gegong Apang is on bail, he said the law would take its own course in all cases of corruption.
Imkong pays homage to Dorjee Khandu
Itanagar, May 6 (MExN): Former President, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee I. Imkong, Hon'ble MLA visited Itanagar on Thursday, 5th May to pay his last respects to deceased Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu at the CM's official bungalow at Niti Vihar, Itanagar.
He met with the bereaved family members, Ministers, MLAs, senior Officials of Arunachal Pradesh Govt., Congress party officials and expressed shock and sadness upon the demise of his "good friend". Shri I. Imkong was accompanied by Wanglin Lowangdong, Speaker of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Bobby Panicker, General Secretary of North East Congress Committee (NECC).
He met with the bereaved family members, Ministers, MLAs, senior Officials of Arunachal Pradesh Govt., Congress party officials and expressed shock and sadness upon the demise of his "good friend". Shri I. Imkong was accompanied by Wanglin Lowangdong, Speaker of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Bobby Panicker, General Secretary of North East Congress Committee (NECC).
Remote yak herders found Khandu chopper wreckage
GUWAHATI, MAY 6 (AGENCIES): A nomadic tribe surpassed state-of-the-art technology, claiming credit for locating the wreckage of the ill-fated chopper carrying Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu.
Only the yak herder tribe of the Brokpas dare to tread in Luguthang, 15,000 feet above the sea level, near the MacMohan line, where the wreckage was finally spotted.
The army, assisted by villagers, walked through knee-deep snow and ferried the bodies, reaching the unused helipad at about 5.30 am on Thursday.
GUWAHATI, MAY 6 (AGENCIES): A nomadic tribe surpassed state-of-the-art technology, claiming credit for locating the wreckage of the ill-fated chopper carrying Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu.
Only the yak herder tribe of the Brokpas dare to tread in Luguthang, 15,000 feet above the sea level, near the MacMohan line, where the wreckage was finally spotted.
The army, assisted by villagers, walked through knee-deep snow and ferried the bodies, reaching the unused helipad at about 5.30 am on Thursday.
