Itanagar: Days after Arunachal Pradesh Governor J P Rajkhowa accused him of misbehaving, education minister Tapang Taloh on Sunday alleged that the Governor had provoked him with abuses and asked him to release footage of the entire December 15 episode.
“It is very unfortunate that the constitutional head of the state had released the last portion of the footage to the electronic media to malign my hard earned image. I request him to release the whole footage so that people can judge,” Taloh told reporters at the Arunachal Press Club here.
The footage circulated to the media highlighted how Taloh had a spat with the Governor during an argument when Chief Minister Nabam Tuki along with his council of ministers went to meet him at the Raj Bhawan with a request to review his decision of preponing the Assembly session to December 16, instead of January 14, 2016.
“When we entered the Raj Bhawan, we were checked at the entrance like common people. Despite our repeated pleas, the Governor, instead of listening to our appeals, asked us to approach any court of the law saying he had already passed his order,” the minister flanked by Home Minister Tanga Byaling and Parliamentary secretary Nyamar Karbak said.
Alleging that the Governor had provoked him with abuses, Taloh said Rajkhowa did not even reply to the questions put by the Chief Minister on the reasons that compelled him to prepone the Assembly session.
“He may be the constitutional head, but he cannot behave in such a manner with the Chief Minister and the council of ministers. I did not use any unparliamentary word against him as alleged, but expressed my sentiments in reply to his abuses,” Taloh clarified.
“In my long political career, I have never seen such an arrogant Governor who is acting at the behest of the Centre and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju to destabilise a democratically elected government,” Taloh alleged.
Taloh referred to a voice clip of Leader of Opposition Tamiyo Taga, who, during a public meeting in May last had allegedly announced that a new Governor would come as the old one would be replaced for not listening to BJP leaders.
The Minister said the clip had exposed the hidden agenda of the Governor who has been appointed by the Centre to install a BJP government in the state.
“When the Chief Minister recommended dropping of five ministers from the Cabinet, the Governor intentionally delayed the matter for over a week. From the very first day in office he started interfering in government affairs by summoning officials of various departments even on petty issues,” Taloh alleged.
“We are not fighting just to save the government, but against the unconstitutional activities of the Governor. We are determined to fight,” the minister said.
Alleging that the Governor was behind the political turmoil in the state, Taloh added he had turned the Raj Bhawan to a BJP party office. (PTI)
