Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government has planned to hold a month long-celebration from January 20 next to remember and honour martyrs and freedom fighters of the state, informed Chief Minister Pema Khandu in the Assembly on Saturday.
“Arunachal Pradesh got the Union Territory status on January 20, 1972 and by 2022 we will enter into the golden jubilee. We are planning to hold a month long-celebration from January 20, 2022 to remember our unsung heroes,” Khandu said while responding to a short duration discussion regarding the recognition of freedom fighters from Arunachal
Pardesh, initiated by Congress lawmaker Ninong Ering.
He informed that the Government would constitute a High-level Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, which will hold deliberations with community based organisations (CBOs), elders of the society and research department, and after properly examining, it will forward the names of the unsung heroes, who will be remembered and honoured during the month-long celebration.
The CM said that the State government would appraise the Government of India (GoI) about their names so that they could be honoured by the Centre. Informing the House, Khandu said in connection to the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ (Centre’s initiative to mark 75 years of Indian Independence), the Government of Arunachal Pradesh (GoAP) had received a letter from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in which it
was asked to sent names of freedom fighters from the state.
Accordingly, the Social Justice, Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA) department wrote to all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to do research on the same and sent a list of freedom fighters, he said.
“Only four districts- East Siang,Upper Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit have sent the names. Altogether, we got names of 63 people (freedom fighters),” Khandu informed.
The CM also said that as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ celebrations, programmes were organised in three places of the state and added that out of these, two were attended by Health Minister Alo Libang.
Khandu expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative. “Many members (who participated in the short duration discussion) have suggested that there should be a common war memorial dedicated to the unsung heroes. I totally agree on the same
and the Committee which will be constituted will only suggest the location where it is to be made and the foundation will be laid on January 20, 2022,” the CM said.
Among members, who participated in the short duration discussion are Deputy Dy CM, former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, Lombo Tayeng, Kaling Moyong and Wanglin Lowandong.
