The Arunachal Pradesh Congress strongly condemned Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent remarks about Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, calling them “indecent personal attacks and character assassination.” Chera Taya, the general secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), claimed in a statement released here that Rijiju’s remarks were an effort to deflect criticism of “his own failures as a leader and Union Minister.” Once regarded as a national figure, Rijiju had devolved into “using the language and tone of his right-wing brigade.” Taya said, “It is unfortunate and shameful to hear a union minister stoop to such a low level of discourse, which only reflects the true nature, behavior, and political culture of the BJP.”
Rijiju last attacked Gandhi on Saturday, claiming that members of his own party “feel uneasy” when he addresses the legislature and fear that he will engage in “anap-shanap baatein,” for which the party will be held accountable. The Arunachal Pradesh elections were tainted by “vote theft, booth capturing, cash-for-vote practices, and inaction of election officers,” according to the APCC’s statement, which accused the BJP-led administration of electoral malpractices. It went on to call Rijiju the “Union Minister of Unparliamentary Affairs,” claiming that he was still “manifesting his habitual role of opposition” and had forgotten his responsibility in administration. On topics including boundary disputes with Assam, the building of massive dams on the Siang River, and the “limited legislative powers” of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly under Article 371(H), the opposition party also criticized the central government and the state BJP government.
