ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Oct 7: Women in large numbers under the banner of Arunachal Pradesh Common Women Group (APCWG) gheraoed the Women Police Station (WPS) Itanagar protesting the summon letter issued against Toko Sheetal, Chairperson of Arunachal Against Corruption (AAC).  
Sheetal has been summoned on October 11 next by the Investigating Officer of WPS in connection to a criminal case filed against her.  
Besides protesting outside the WPS Itanagar, the APCWG also filed an FIR against one Akhilesh Pratap Singh, Tania Yapa, Tania Essu, Tania Julie, and Meena Bagang on the day. The FIR was signed by more than 80 women.  
Speaking to reporters, Social activist Sol Dodum said that they will wait for four days for the response to the FIR, and if that fails, the group will go ahead with further action in any democratic form in the state capital.
He also informed that according to the police, a case has been registered against Akhilesh Pratap Singh, and a report was sent to UP police. Now the wait is for what action or response comes from UP police.
“Government and police are for the welfare of the public and it should be practically met up in any form. Sheetal has all substantiating documents regarding her claim over corruption in various government schemes. So it is the duty of the state government to respond to her. Likewise, it is also the duty of the police to immediately act on the FIR registered by the public,” he added.       
One of the members of APCWG while leading the agitation said if the police forcefully summons AAC Chairperson Toko Sheetal, the group will protest against it. Police should rather arrest those individuals mentioned in the FIR and let Sheetal continue her protest in New Delhi.

“Despite our protest, if police forcefully summon or arrest Toko Sheetal, it will be another PRC  issue , but his time women, sisters and mothers will take to the streets," cautioned the member.
She said Singh along with the rest should be immediately arrested by the state police who have been physically, mentally, and socially torturing Sheetal for her protest against corruption. Therefore, the state government should immediately arrest those people in the larger interest of the women's community.
“Why is the police not arresting Tania Julie and her group who have been framing charges against Sheetal for flesh trade? The allegations are false and the police should immediately arrest the women and punish them according to the law,” she said, adding that the members are not in support of the state government or AAC but for the lady who is being mentally tortured and harassed just for voicing against corruption.
Meanwhile, another woman who joined the protest and is also a member of the Beti Bachao Beti Padao committee said that her participation in the protest is purely subjected to her work and is nowhere against the state government or in support of the AAC.
She said that as a member of the committee, she felt that the women's community should support another woman fighting for the greater cause of the state.
“I question Kiren Rijiju for being silent on the matter and delivering futile answers to the question put forth by the media. It should be his responsibility to look into the allegations of corruption leveled by the AAC. Being the elected representative of the people and voice of state at the Centre, it's his moral duty to look into the matter,” she said.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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