The Union Cabinet on Sunday recommended imposition of President’s Rule in Congress-ruled Arunachal Pradesh, which is rocked by political turmoil that broke out last month.
Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet at an unscheduled meeting on Sunday morning took the decision to recommend imposition of President’s rule in the northeast state, official sources said in Delhi.
It is learnt that the Cabinet also recommended that the state Assembly be kept under suspended animation.
The recommendation drew stinging condemnation from the opposition with Congress alleging democracy was being trampled and that Modi was “fountainhead” of political intolerance while a shocked CM Nabam Tuki said such a decision in a sensitive border state was “unprecedented” and “unacceptable”. Accusing the Modi government of trying to destabilize a state bordering China, the Congress also said that it will challenge in court the Cabinet decision if it gets presidential assent. Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal expressed “shock” over the Cabinet decision, saying it is “murder” of the country’s Constitution.
“This is really shocking as the Centre did not consult the state government before taking such a harsh decision. Arunachal is absolutely peaceful without even a single case of law and order breakdown reported in the last month,” Tuki said in Itanagar. Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa recommended President Rule without consulting the state cabinet at a time when several cases are sub-judice in the Supreme Court, he said.