State News

RUDRAPUR : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the Congress will oppose the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill and the issue will also be discussed at the meeting of floor leaders of opposition parties on Monday. Interacting with ANI here, Kharge also said that his visit to Uttarakhand is aimed at energizing party workers ahead of next year’s assembly polls. The FCRA Amendment Bill is expected to come in the Lok Sabha in the last week of the monsoon session of Parliament. Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, addressed a public meeting in Haldwani on Saturday. During his visit, he will also interact with newly-appointed state and district presidents in Rudrapur today. “We will oppose the FCRA-related move. We will take a decision (about strategy) tomorrow after a meeting of floor leaders,” he said. Kharge said that Congress workers were making efforts to oust the BJP government from power in the next assembly polls in Uttarakhand. “I am the AICC President. I cannot come here every day, but our army is present here… Does PM Modi come here every day? Does Amit Shah come here? Does Nadda, even though he hails from this very region, come here? Does the new BJP President come here? We visit when and where it is necessary to energise our party workers. That does not mean we simply arrive and leave like tourists,” he said. Several opposition parties have expressed their opposition to FCRA Amendment Bill. Congress leader KC Venugopal on Friday said that the party will vehemently oppose the Bill and the “government cannot bulldoze this type of bill”. The Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, with the stated objective of enhancing transparency and accountability in the regulation of foreign contributions. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to present recommendations and register regional concerns regarding the FCTA. Lalduhoma later said that he had raised six issues with Shah. “The only thing that is very clearly mentioned to us is that it’s not going to be retrospective. That assurance was given to us, and the rest of the points will be given a paragraph-wise comment by him, and he (Amit Shah) is going to start the discussion on the 12th of this month in Parliament…”. Shah also held a meeting in Parliament with members and representatives of the Christian community, who have expressed their opposition to provisions of the bill. DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday urged the Union Government to withdraw the FCRA Amendment Bill and repeal Section 15 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. In a post on X, Stalin said a delegation of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, led by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson and comprising religious leaders from various denominations, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 6 and pressed for withdrawal of the Bill. NCP(SP) has also opposed the Bill.In his speech in Haldwani on Saturday, Kharge expressed confidence that Congress would form the government in Uttarakhand in the upcoming Assembly elections. Kharge launched slammed BJP government “over the police crackdown on protesting students in Delhi”, flagged irregularities involving temple donations, unemployment, recruitment examinations and paper leaks in Uttarakhand. (Source: ANI)      

ITANAGAR : Governor KT Parnaik on Saturday reviewed the law and order situation in the state during a meeting with DGP SD Singh Jamwal at the Lok Bhavan here, officials said. The discussions focused on the prevailing security environment, crime prevention measures, public safety, disaster preparedness, and the overall readiness of the state police to tackle emerging challenges, an official communique said. Highlighting the importance of a secure environment for socio-economic development and the realisation of the ‘Viksit Arunachal’ vision, the governor shared details of ‘SURAKSHA APP’, a digital platform providing real-time security to urban citizens, and recommended studying its implementation in the state. Reviewing the security dynamics in the insurgency-sensitive Tirap-Changlang-Longding region, Parnaik directed officials to speed up fence construction to curb extortion and kidnapping incidents. He also advised the DGP to ensure police personnel remain alert, well-equipped, and trained for search and rescue operations during natural disasters like landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts. The governor emphasised maintaining quick reaction teams, conducting regular mock exercises, and strengthening inter-agency coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district administrations, and local communities. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) Dr Joy Tirkey was also present. (Source: PTI)  

ITANAGAR : Cultural Affairs Minister Dasanglu Pul on Saturday appealed to the people of Arunachal Pradesh to participate wholeheartedly in the fifth edition of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, being observed from August 9 to 17 as part of the celebrations marking the country’s 80th Independence Day. In her message, Pul said this year’s campaign assumes special significance as the nation is also commemorating 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, reflecting the enduring ideals of patriotism, unity and freedom. She said the State Government is committed to ensuring successful implementation of the nationwide campaign across all districts. Deputy Commissioners have been entrusted with coordinating the participation of Heads of Departments, while schools, civil society organisations, community organisations and citizens have been encouraged to actively join the campaign. Various activities are being organised across the State, including hoisting of the Tricolour at homes, offices and institutions, Tiranga rallies, bike and cycle rallies, public marches, patriotic cultural programmes based on the theme of ‘Vande Mataram’, exhibitions, patriotic rangoli and youth programmes, awareness drives and the ‘Selfie with Tiranga’ digital campaign. Appealing to youths, students, teachers, government employees, community leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and families to participate with pride and enthusiasm, Pul said, “Let us all hoist our Tiranga with pride, respect and dignity and inspire the younger generation with the values of patriotism, unity, integrity and service to the nation.” She called upon citizens to make ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ a people’s movement and celebrate the National Flag as a symbol of unity, pride and the collective spirit of the nation. Director of Art & Culture Ibom Tao informed that Indian flags are being distributed free of cost across all districts. Citizens can also upload their ‘Selfie with Tiranga’ on the official campaign website. Secretary of Art and Culture Mamata Riba was also present on the occasion.    

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR : Thousands of people from various walks of life on Saturday participated in the mass “referendum” rally organized by the Arunachal Frontier Tribal Forum (AFTF) here, reiterating demands for immediate scrapping of the existing 80:20 reservation ratio in recruitment conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), and making APST and Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) mandatory for all applicants to state government jobs. More than 38 organizations participated in the rally, which commenced from Akashdeep and culminated at IG Park, Itanagar. The participants carried banners and placards and raised slogans demanding abolition of the 80:20 reservation policy. Addressing reporters, AFTF chairman Tadak Nalo said the forum has given the state government time till August 15 to fulfill its demands, warning that the government would be responsible for any eventuality if it failed to act within the stipulated period. “The state government can resolve this issue in just a day. Unfortunately, the government has been dragging the issue for the last five years for whatsoever reasons,” Nalo said. Addressing the gathering, Nalo said the rally was organized as a “referendum” to mount pressure on the government over the forum’s long-pending demands. He said August 8 holds historical significance as the day the Quit India Movement was launched in 1942 under Mahatma Gandhi’s “Do or Die” call. Drawing a parallel, Nalo said the AFTF would intensify its democratic agitation if the government failed to address its demands. “We hope the state government will not compel us to launch an extensive movement and instead act on our demands at the earliest,” he said. Nalo also termed the state government’s decision to constitute a six-member committee to examine the feasibility of scrapping the 80:20 reservation ratio as an “eyewash”, alleging that it was aimed at delaying a decision on the issue. The committee, headed by Industries Minister Nyato Dukam, was constituted on July 6 to examine the feasibility of abolishing the existing reservation ratio and making APST and PRC certificates mandatory for candidates appearing in recruitment examinations conducted by the APPSC and APSSB. Nalo alleged that a similar committee headed by then Education Minister Taba Tedir was constituted in 2022 to examine the issue. Though the committee submitted its report in 2024, the government has not acted on its recommendations, he claimed. Meanwhile, the six-member committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on August 10 to deliberate on the issue.      

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR : The Public Property Protection Committee (PPPC) has urged the state government to undertake a comprehensive survey and verification of government quarters and government land in the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR), alleging that a large number of government properties have been encroached upon or allotted in violation of prescribed rules. Addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club here on Saturday, PPPC chairman Giogi Tania Kiogi said the committee has sought official assistance from the Deputy Commissioner, Capital Complex, during its proposed inspection of government quarters and encroached government land. Kiogi said the proposed inspection is aimed at identifying unauthorised occupation, encroachment and misuse of government properties so that appropriate action can be initiated in the larger public interest. The committee has sought deployment of adequate government officials and police personnel to accompany the PPPC team during the inspection to ensure transparency, security and maintenance of law and order. It has also demanded suspension of government quarter and land allotments to individuals found to have illegally encroached upon government land or violated the terms and conditions of their allotment, pending completion of inquiry. The PPPC further called for immediate eviction proceedings against unauthorised occupants and encroachers who have occupied government land or constructed unauthorised buildings. It has also sought issuance of legal notices to all encroachers, including government quarter allottees and private individuals, directing them to remove encroachments within a stipulated period. According to the committee, a comprehensive survey of all government quarters established since 1995 should be conducted and brought back under the ambit of the concerned government departments. It also demanded cancellation of government quarter allotments in the ICR made in violation of prescribed rules and regulations under the Arunachal Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 2003. The PPPC has called for re-verification of all government quarters and their allottees across the ICR, claiming that several quarter records are missing or incomplete. It further proposed digitisation of government quarter records and establishment of a transparent digital system for the allotment process. The committee also demanded installation of mandatory signboards on every government quarter displaying the quarter number, allottee details and period of allotment to ensure transparency and accountability. Kiogi said the committee has proposed establishment of a fast-track court exclusively for government quarter encroachment cases, claiming that more than 5,000 such cases are still pending. The PPPC chairman further called for disciplinary action against government employees found to have illegally encroached upon government property or violated government quarter rules, in accordance with the CCS Rules, MACP provisions and other applicable laws. The committee also urged the government to formulate and implement a strong policy to prevent and control government quarter encroachment not only in the ICR but across the state. Regarding this matter, PPPC has submitted a representation to the DC, Capital Complex on 7 August, 2026, informed Kiogi, wherein, the committee remains committed to supporting the government in protecting public assets and ensuring that government land and quarters are utilised only for their lawful purpose.    

ITANAGAR : More than 5,220 kg of waste was removed from the Yagamso River during a clean-up drive organised by the Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR) and Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society, with support from the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ISCDCL), at IG Park here on Saturday. The drive was organised as part of activities commemorating the 80th Independence Day. Volunteers cleared accumulated waste that had choked the river channel, helping restore its natural flow. The collected waste was subsequently segregated and audited to assess the nature and volume of waste entering the river. The audit recorded around 9,000 disposable plates and glasses, 8,500 cement, rice and online-delivery bags, and 8,000 plastic items, besides several other categories of waste. The findings highlighted the extent of irresponsible waste disposal and its growing impact on the Yagamso River and its surrounding environment. Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) Ward No. 10 Corporator Yukar Yaro, along with her team, attended the drive and commended YMCR and its partner organisations for the initiative. She expressed concern over continued dumping of waste by individuals and urged citizens to adopt responsible waste-management practices and refrain from dumping garbage into rivers and other water bodies. YMCR Chairman Advocate S D Loda urged volunteers to take the message of cleanliness beyond the campaign and spread it among their families and communities. He appealed to citizens to recognise their collective responsibility towards protecting rivers and the environment. YMCR Vice Chairman Keyom Doni said the participation of volunteers reflected growing civic awareness among the youth of Itanagar. He stressed that river clean-up drives should be viewed as part of a sustained environmental campaign rather than one-time activities, adding that lasting change would require citizens to stop treating rivers as dumping grounds and instead regard them as shared resources that need protection.    

Felix Anthony MIAO : Pope Leo has appointed Most Rev. George Pallipparambil SDB, Bishop of Miao Diocese in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state, as a member of the International Council for Catechesis (Co.In.Cat.), the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization announced this week. The appointment, for a five-year term (ad quinquennium), was confirmed in a letter from the Dicastery’s Pro-Prefect, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, dated 30 July 2026 and addressed to Bishop Pallipparambil at his residence in Miao. The letter notes that the Vatican’s Secretariat of State formally advised the Dicastery of the pope’s approval on 5 July 2026, following a request from the Dicastery itself. Co.In.Cat. is a consultative body that supports the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for Fundamental Questions Regarding Evangelization in the World, offering guidance and reflection on catechetical initiatives across the global Church. In his letter, Archbishop Fisichella expressed hope that Bishop Pallipparambil’s experience would allow him “to make a valuable contribution to the reflection and initiatives of this body in the important and sensitive field of catechesis.” The letter was countersigned by Mons. Graham Bell, Under-Secretary in charge of the Dicastery’s Secretariat. Bishop Pallipparambil, a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), leads the Diocese of Miao, which covers a largely tribal and mission territory in northeastern India near the borders with Myanmar and China. The diocese is known for its missionary character and its work among indigenous communities in one of India’s more remote regions. The appointment adds an Indian voice with direct pastoral experience in a frontier missionary diocese to a Vatican council tasked with shaping catechetical policy for the universal Church. Bishop Pallipparambil’s term on the council is set to run for five years from the date of the papal approval. The people of Miao have expressed joy over the appointment of their Bishop by the Holy See and assured their prayerful support as he takes up his duty with an important International Council of the Holy See. (The contributor looks after the Office of Social Communication, Miao Diocese. He can be contacted at felixamiao@gmail.com)