Itanagar, May 14, 2026: Mutchu Mithi has warned that strict legal action will be taken against individuals participating in bandh calls and disrupting normal public life in Arunachal Pradesh ahead of a proposed 36-hour agitation over the Inner Line Permit (ILP) issue.
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| Mutchu Mithi, BJP chief spokesperson, and MLA from Roing. (File Photo) |
The BJP chief spokesperson, who is also Adviser to the Home Minister and MLA from Roing, shared a statement issued by Capital Police on social media, stating that those “who indulge and participate in bandh calls” could face extended jail terms of up to 60 days and beyond.
The warning comes in connection with the 36-hour bandh called by the Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee (ASBAC), led by General Secretary Millo Ambo, over ILP-related demands. The bandh is scheduled to begin at 5:00 AM on May 14 across the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR).
According to ASBAC leaders, the protest seeks stricter implementation of Inner Line Permit regulations to safeguard the rights, identity, and interests of indigenous tribal communities in the state.
Meanwhile, the Capital Administration has declared the proposed bandh “illegal and unconstitutional” under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014.
District Magistrate Toko Babu stated that bandh calls severely disrupt public life, essential services, transportation, educational institutions, businesses, and emergency operations, while also posing risks to law and order.
The administration directed organisers to immediately withdraw the bandh and warned that strict legal action would be initiated against anyone attempting to enforce it. Police authorities in Itanagar and Naharlagun have been instructed to ensure strict implementation of the order.
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Similarly, the District Magistrate of Papum Pare district also declared the proposed bandh unlawful in rural areas of the district, citing possible hardships to students, patients, daily wage earners, government employees, and the general public.
Security agencies across the capital region have reportedly been placed on alert ahead of the proposed agitation, with authorities appealing to citizens to maintain peace and normalcy.
