By Fr Felix Anthony –
Namsai (Arunachal Pradesh): A debate competition on the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and its implications on North East India marked the National Press Day celebrations in Arunachal Pradesh.
The finalists of the state-level debate competitions placed their arguments both for and against the topic ‘The House believes that revocation of Article 370 from J&K will have long-term impact on NE states’, in the presence of the Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, local MLAs Zigno Namchoom, Jummum Deori, Kariko Kiri and host of other dignitaries from the state.
The students from St. Claret College, Ziro, retained the Rolling Chief Minister’s Trophy for winning the competition for the third consecutive year.
While arguments on cross-border terrorism, nationalism, one nation-one constitution theory supported the revocation, the apprehension on the possibility of the revocation of Article 371, which gives special provision to the people of North East India dominated the arguments against the revocation.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu appreciated the organizer of the competition, Arunachal Press Club (APC) and the Department of Information and Public Relation, for taking up a relevant topic to mark the National Press Day celebrations.
Arunachal is a unique State with distinct features with wide variety of diversity. Media can play a huge role in harnessing this diversity to effect positive changes to the State, said the CM.
Impressed with the quality of the debate, the CM requested the APC to organize another debate to give the Government an objective opinion to decide if the upcoming Panchayat Elections should be party based or non-party based. “This will give the voters freedom to elect their local leaders,” he opined.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister, Chowna Mein said the government has allotted Rs 2 Lakh each for 20 students from the State to pursue media studies.
Member of Parliament, Arunachal East constituency, Tapir Gao also spoke on the occasion. He asked the media fraternity in the State to be bold and impartial in their reporting and to organize more such debates to make the general public aware of the relevant issues affecting the people.
Amar Sangno, the President of the Arunachal Pradesh Working Union of Working Journalists, congratulated the winners of the debate competition and wished Happy National Press Day to the media fraternity in the state.
The National Press Day celebrations at the newly inaugurated Multipurpose Cultural Hall in Namsai, concluded with the launch of arunachalfarmers.org, a website that will enable the farmers to showcase and sell their products online directly.