Arunachal Pradesh: China's claim, boundary row with Assam kept the state in news

ITANAGAR: Resurfacing of China's claim over Arunachal territory, boundary row with Assam, installation of a new Congress government, Nido Tania death and breakdown in the law and order situation were some of the issues that hogged limelight in Arunachal Pradesh during 2014.
Early this year, China had in its map depicted Arunachal Pradesh and South China Sea as its territory, which evoked strong resentment in the state.

The apex students' body All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) launched several protest rallies in the state as well as in the national capital protesting Beijing's "expansionist attitude".

In July, Students' Union Movement of Arunachal (SUMA) staged a protest rally against China's depiction of Arunachal in its map as its own.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on October 14 last announced Centre's plan to construct a 2000-km -long road along the international border from Mago-Thingbu in Tawang to Vijaynagar in Changlang district to match China's road infrastructure across the McMahon Line, which sparked strong protest from Beijing.

Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on November 17 last during his visit to California-based Google Headquarters raised the issue of wrong depiction of his state in Google Maps and sought corrective measures.

The boundary row with neighbouring Assam was another issue which grabbed headlines during the year.

Unauthorised eviction drive launched by Assam Police and forest personnel in Arunachal's territory were reported on several occasions during the year, particularly at Tarasso area under Papum Pare district.

On January 29, miscreants gunned down 15 CPI (ML) activists at Chaoldhowa in the Assam-Arunachal boundary. Eight others were also injured in the incident.

Several Assam-based organisations imposed an economic blockade along the NH-52 from February 4 for several days as a fallout of the Chaoldhowa incident which, triggered crisis of essential commodities.

The death of Arunachalee youth Tania in the national capital on January 30 evoked strong protests in the state forcing the assembly to pass a resolution to impress upon the Centre for a strong anti-racial act.

Tania, son of former MLA Nido Pavitra, died after he was allegedly thrashed by some shopkeepers in Lajpat Nagar area of South Delhi when he retaliated after they made fun of his hairstyle.

After facing a rout in other parts of the country, Congress retained power in the state by winning three-fourths majority in the state assembly by securing 42 of the total 60 seats. It also bagged one of the two Lok Sabha seats.

Eleven Congress candidates including Chief Minister Nabam Tuki were elected unopposed in the April 9 assembly polls. He was sworn-in as the 8th chief minister of the state on May 18.

In a midnight exercise, Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma dissolved the state assembly on March 6, much ahead of its tenure, on the recommendation of the state cabinet which had demanded holding of state elections along with the Lok Sabha polls.

The decision evoked strong reactions among various political parties who have termed the move as 'unconstitutional and against democratic norms'.

Former Chief Minister and sitting Congress MLA from Liromoba Jarbom Gamlin died on November 30.

The law and order in the state too remained grim with a series of abduction cases reported during the year. While 13 rebels of both factions of NSCN died of clashes in troubled Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, 21 cadres of various groups were arrested by security forces in the state during the year.

Chief Executive Officer of Arunachal Rural Research Development Agency, Doli Nyodo was kidnapped on March 6 by unidentified miscreants while another businessman Keshav Pandey was kidnapped on April 29. He was however rescued by police later.

Prominent businessman K P Chacko was kidnapped from his residence at Naharlagun on August 28 and his decomposed body was recovered from a jungle near Doimukh on September 6. Police also arrested eight persons involved in the crime.

Natural calamity and epidemic claimed over 50 lives while 21 buildings, roads and bridges were washed away in massive floods that hit the state during the year.

At least 216 houses were reduced to ashes in various fire incidents in the state during the year while six people died in fire-related incidents along with 12 accidental deaths and 11 deaths due to natural calamities.

Namsai officially became the 18th district of the state.

The Centre approved in principle an East-West corridor for the state during the year to boost economic activities.

Construction work for a green field airport at Hollongi near here also got approval from the Civil Aviation Ministry during the year.

Arun Kiwi, a high quality wine produced from Kiwi fruits of the state was formally launched in September after an agreement between Arunachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Board and Pune-based Hill Crest Food & Beverages Pvt Ltd.

The first trial run of a rail engine was organised on January 14 bringing the state into the railway map of the country. The first train with 400 passengers ran on April 7. However, on May 12, the North East Frontier Railway suspended the train service indefinitely due to security reasons.

The year also saw all newspaper houses in the state shutting down their publication for five days following confrontation with a students' organisation.

Mountaineer Anshu Jamsenpa scripted history by scaling three Himalayan peaks successively in six days after setting world records during her earlier Everest expedition.