Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday asserted that his tenure as political head of the state has witnessed several ‘positives’ barring a few ‘ugly instances’, while citing the State Public Service Commission (APPSC) paper leakage scam.
Khandu, who completed seven years in office on July 17 last, said similar instances (paper leakage) might have happened in the past but it was during his tenure as chief minister that it came to light, jolting the very foundation of the state’s highest recruitment body and the administration.
“It is but natural to blame the government and the chief minister for it. I accept it but at the same time, it should be understood that this government is not taking the incident lying low. We have initiated severe and sincere action against all involved and investigations are in full swing. We are putting in place a system to avoid any recurrence of such misdemeanours,” he said.
As many as 54 individuals, including 41 government employees, were arrested in connection with the APPSC paper leak scam that came to the fore in August last year. The investigation of the infamous paper leak case, initially started by the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) of the State Vigilance Department, is currently being carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Khandu admitted that it is not easy to sit on the chief minister’s chair and facing criticism is part of the job. He, however, felt that criticism and blames are fair only if the government doesn’t react sincerely.
“From day one I have been stressing the concept of ‘Team Arunachal’. The government or the chief minister alone cannot bring in any positive change if every member of the society does not take up the responsibility to be the change,” Khandu said while speaking at the alumni meet cum felicitation programme & workshop organized at Dera Natung Government College here today.
Appreciating the attendance of more than 200 alumni of DNGC on the occasion, he urged them to contribute to the development of the state as responsible members of ‘Team Arunachal’.
“I see all known faces amongst the alumni who are serving in various capacities. You all are intellectuals. You have to take the responsibility to make the change, be the change and become the change,” he appealed.
Lauding DNGC Principal Dr MQ Khan for conceptualizing and organizing the alumni meet of the college for the first time, Khandu said it was time for the former students, particularly those who are doing well in life today, to give back to their alma mater.
While assuring all possible assistance to the college in terms of infrastructure and manpower, the CM urged the alumni to become the bridge between the college and the government and play the role of a catalyst in the overall development of the college.
He informed that the government has already sanctioned infrastructural projects for the college including a new administrative block building, an Anthropology department building, a hundred-bedded girls’ hostel, a children’s park with an open gym, a sports complex equipped with four badminton courts and two Judo/Karate courts, two cricket practising pitches, one rostrum and one more gallery, which are under construction.
Khandu said that, being the second oldest college in the state (after Jawaharlal Nehru College, Pasighat), DNGC deserves all the attention from the government, and assured that it will get what it deserves.
About 200 outstanding alumni – those who represented Arunachal in any event such as games & sports, art & culture, or have made outstanding contributions, and excelled as public leaders, student leaders, group-A officers, reputed journalists, academicians, social activists, businessmen, entrepreneurs etc – attended the day-long meet, which included a workshop on the theme ‘Role of Alumni in Development of Institution’.
Itanagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Tamme Phassang, an alumnus of the college, also attended the event. Another alumnus, Prof Dhananjay Singh, Member Secretary of the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) and President of the Association of Asian Social Science Research Council, delivered the keynote address. In fact, Prof Singh had his entire education, from class 1 to university, in Arunachal Pradesh.
