LS Speaker hails Arunachal Assembly’s Golden Jubilee, calls for consensus

Itanagar, Aug 18 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday congratulated the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on completing 50 glorious years of its journey.

In a virtual message, Birla described Arunachal as the finest example of unity in diversity, noting that the Assembly has kept alive the aspirations of the people by enacting over 600 legislations so far through healthy debates.

"Healthy debate is one of the hallmarks of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly and being a temple of democracy, the lawmakers should continue to keep the aspirations of the people alive," Birla stressed.

Urging the members to work for the state's progress, the Speaker said the Golden Jubilee must serve as a strong reminder for legislators to work with diligence for the prosperity of the state.

"There may be differences in political lines, but inside the Assembly, which is the living soul of our democracy, efforts should be made by all members, irrespective of party affiliations, to take consensus decisions in the interest of the people and the state," Birla said.

He praised the House for going paperless with the e-Vidhan initiative, the third in the country, and urged members to remain the voice of the people while working for the welfare of women and youth for Arunachal's holistic development.

Birla also thanked all past and present members for their contributions to the Assembly's glorious fifty-year journey.

Speaking on the occasion, state Legislative Assembly Speaker Tesam Pongte said the state has witnessed a dynamic interplay of indigenous traditions, colonial legacies, and post-independence aspirations.

"The region's resilience in overcoming challenges and conflicts underscores its determination to chart its own course towards progress and prosperity within the framework of the Indian Union," Pongte said.

He said that the 45-day Golden Jubilee celebrations, inaugurated by Governor K T Parnaik on July 3, culminated on Monday. Pongte added that several outreach programmes were held to instil democratic values among the youth in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University and other institutions, which will conclude on November 26, Constitution Day, with an award ceremony for winners of essay and debate competitions.

"The Golden Jubilee celebrations will not only remind our youth of the contributions made by our great leaders in building Arunachal, of which we are proud today, but will also inspire them to dream and work for a Viksit Arunachal, thereby fulfilling the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," the Speaker added.

Arunachal Pradesh underwent a long administrative and political evolution before achieving statehood. Its distinct identity was first marked in 1914 when the British created the North-East Frontier Tract.

In 1954, the frontier tracts were merged into the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which, though under the Governor of Assam, was directly administered by the Government of India.

In 1972, NEFA was separated from Assam and granted Union Territory status as Arunachal Pradesh. To provide democratic representation, the first provisional Legislative Assembly was constituted on August 15, 1975, with 33 members — 30 directly elected and three nominated by the Centre.

The Assembly strength increased to 60 seats in 1978, all directly elected, which continues to be its present composition.

On February 20, 1987, Arunachal Pradesh attained full statehood, becoming the 24th state of the Indian Union with its own elected government, legislative powers, and representation in both Houses of Parliament. PTI UPL UPL RG