Guwahati: Normal life was disrupted in the capital of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday as a result of the “public” bandh declared by the Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC-APPSC). The bandh was called to protest the alleged second-day leak of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission question paper, which was part of a 13-point charter of demands.
According to a senior police officer, businesses, shops, banks, educational institutions, government and private offices, as well as Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli, and Banderdewa sectors were all shuttered and all vehicles were kept off the roads in the Capital Complex.
Thousands of protesters obstructed the NH-415 by torching tyres.
The government temporarily shut off internet access in the capital area of Itanagar from Friday at 6 p.m. to Sunday at 5 p.m in the “interest of public safety.”
According to the government order, the action was taken at the director general of police’s request in order to “prevent further occurrence of serious law and order problems during the bandh, which has taken a serious turn after destruction of police barricades, lathicharge, and firing of tear gas shells.”
Scores of protestors and police personnel were injured in subsequent clashes on Friday, which compelled the police to resort to lathicharge and to lob tear gas shells, officials said.
The Chief Minister Pema Khandu decided to postpone the swearing-in of the chairman and members of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) on Friday due to the circumstance. On Saturday, he also invited the PAJSC-APPSC members to the civil secretariat for a conversation. The protesters, however, declined the invitation, stating that the bandh would continue until all requests were met.
The class V, VII, and XI state board exams, which were originally planned for Saturday, have been postponed by the state administration, according to PTI.
The board exams in all of the capital region’s schools have been postponed and will now take place at a later date, according to a formal decree.