The political climate in Arunachal Pradesh has escalated following the Supreme Court of India’s order for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into alleged irregularities pertaining to government contract allotments. The Congress party in Arunachal Pradesh has called for the resignation of Chief Minister Pema Khandu on moral grounds. Bosiram Siram, the president of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), characterized the Supreme Court’s directive as a significant indictment of the ruling BJP government, accusing it of rampant corruption, nepotism, and the misuse of authority.
Siram alleged that contracts exceeding ₹1,270 crore were awarded to companies with ties to Khandu’s family, labeling this as a severe breach of public trust. He urged for an impartial and time-bound investigation under judicial oversight to guarantee transparency and mitigate potential influences in the examination process. Siram further critiqued the government’s posture against corruption, arguing that the allegations challenge the BJP’s claimed integrity and underscore persistent fears about misallocation of public assets to a privileged few.
Conversely, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed support for the court-initiated investigation, promising full collaboration with the CBI and asserting that the inquiry will aid in clarifying the circumstances and restoring transparency within governance. Khandu remarked that “the truth will come out,” indicating confidence in the eventual outcomes of the inquiry.
In its official response, the state government contended that only 121 contracts out of a total of 21,079 awarded in the past decade—approximately 0.57%—were related to the entities implicated in the allegations. In fiscal terms, these contracts represented ₹1,245.04 crore, which amounts to about 2.74% of the overall ₹45,380.96 crore worth of contracts granted through legitimate tendering processes. The Supreme Court has mandated the CBI to validate these assertions through a preliminary inquiry to ascertain the truth behind the accusations and decide if a comprehensive investigation is warranted.
