How Tuki stumped BJP by planning return of Cong rebels
ITANAGAR: The return of rebels to the Congress in Aruanchal Pradesh on Saturday to diffuse a political crisis was a bolt from the blue for many, including the BJP. But former CM had it planned over two months.
The rebels, led by former CM Kalikho Pul, had formed the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) government that the Supreme Court virtually derecognised by turning the state’s political clock to what it showed on December 15 last year. Tuki was heading the Congress government then. “It did not happen in a day, as you might be DR LATHA ANANTHA, founder of River Research Centre
the hydel project can only be built over their bodies.
“They have to kill us before building the dam. We never expected such a proposal from the new government that we just voted to power. It is a ploy to plunder green cover and destroy the serene waterfall. We will oppose it tooth and nail,” said tribal leader KP Indira.
Several tribals like Indira work with the Vana Samrakshana Samiti, a group that protects the waterfall and surrounding areas. For them, it is the sole source of their livelihood. “Only fools will argue that the dam can be built without harming the pristine inclined to think. I was in touch with the rebels for two months, telling them how the case in the SC would pan out. And since the problem of some of them was with my leadership, I promised to step down to ensure the Congress government remains,” Tuki said.
Tuki blamed BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju for the crisis. “They herded the rebels in a five-star hotel in Guwahati and thought they had things in control. But I managed to convince 21 of the 30 rebels to come home to Congress the night before the floor test was scheduled (Saturday).”
The remaining rebels, including Pul, joined the party on Saturday. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“The BJP did not get wind of what was happening. It was taken by surprise. But I have an advice for the party that wants to rid India of Congress: Read the Constitution thoroughly before you start needling the Congressruled states. The BJP was nonexistent when the Constitution was written so it is yet to learn how to go by it,” Tuki said.
But, he said, he has nothing against Pul. “He did not say anything. But I told him you are my younger brother and we don’t have any permanent enmity. Politics is like this: there cannot be permanent enemies but there can be permanent friends.”
It is sad that for 163 MW power we are planning to destroy a lush green cover. The Madhav Gadgil expert panel on Western Ghats has put Athirappilly and surrounding areas in ecologically-sensitive list and opposed any move to grant permission to the dam