Breach of privilege motion against Apang

CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR, March 4 – In a dramatic move, Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Jarbom Gamlin on Wednesday moved a ‘breach of privilege motion’ against former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, for ‘misleading’ the Assembly on Tuesday.

The Speaker Setong Sena refered the motion to the Privilege Committee of the House asking it to examine the ‘episode’ and submit its report in three months time.

It was on Tuesday when the otherwise calm Assembly, which is without Opposition Bench, turned into a ‘platform’ of verbal duel between Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and his bete-noir and predecessor Gegong Apang regarding the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations for the State Government employees.

Apang, who ruled the State as Chief Minister for past 24 years before Khandu dislodged him in 2007, said implementation of 6th Central Pay Commission recommendations in totality is ‘constitutionally obligatory’ on the part of State Government, claiming that the Centre had already provided financial assistance to the State to implement the CPC report for its employees.

Besides questioning the way of handling the employees’ pen and tool down strike that lasted for 22-days, Apang rued that he was ‘not taken into confidence’ by Khandu in dealing with the employees’ stir, which paralysed State machinery thereby creating a matter of serious concern for its citizens.

He further claimed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had to send a message through Rajya Sabha member Mukut Mithi to the State Government to revoke Essential Services Maintenance (Arunachal Pradesh) Act, 1993 (ESMA) and other punitive actions against the leaders of agitating employees.

Enraged by Apang’s claims, the Chief Minister Khandu had to clarify that the 6th CPC implementation was not constitutionally binding on the State Government. He along with Gamlin challenged Apang to produce the copy of ‘notification’ of Central Government, which says that 6th CPC implementation is constitutionally binding on the State Government.

“You are misleading the House and you should stop telling lies. The Chief Minister did not take you into confidence as he did not want to be a Caesar nor make you Brutus,” Gamlin told Apang.

Gamlin while moving the motion against Apang said, “The former Chief Minister had on Tuesday misled the House that the 6th CPC implementation was constitutionally obligatory for the State Government and the Centre had given financial assistance for its implementation.” Assam Tribune