Arunachal Authorities Sought to Prevent Lawyer Colin Gonsalves from Entering State to Meet Activist

New Delhi: Senior Supreme Court lawyer Colin Gonsalves was prevented from entering Arunachal Pradesh for several hours today with the local administration refusing to issue him an Inner Line Permit (ILP) on the ground that he is “a suspect” in a case.

When Gonsalves asked the authorities manning the Ruksin Gate border check post in East Siang district about the details of that “case”, he was asked to contact the office of the assistant deputy commissioner.

Gonsalves said he was travelling to Arunachal Pradesh to meet Bhanu Tatak, a young environmental activist who was prevented from leaving India by immigration authorities at Delhi airport on September 7 due to a “lookout notice” issued by Arunachal Police against her in two cases, one of which is a criminal case. Consalves had represented Tatak in the Delhi high court seeking relief. However, the court refused to hear her case as it agreed to the government’s contention that it didn’t have territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter, and, therefore, directed her to move the appropriate high court for relief, which would be the Arunachal bench of the Gauhati High Court.

Tatak, who was set to travel to Ireland for a three-month course at Dublin City University, has been at the forefront of the ongoing movement against the proposed 11,500 megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in the state.

Gonsalves told The Wire, “After landing at Gauhati airport, I had moved towards Arunachal Pradesh with some my local friends and on reaching the border check point at Ruksin Gate, I filled up the form to seek an ILP to enter the state. However, I was told that there is an order from the assistant deputy commissioner that I should not be issued an ILP as I am an accused in a case. On asking for details, nothing was given. We continued to wait.”

Gonsalves, accompanied by  anti-dam activist and advocate Emo Mili, waited “for about 5-6 hours” at the border check gate after speaking to the local police head. “Finally, we were granted an ILP for one day,” he told The Wire.

When this correspondent spoke to Gonsalves, it was already nearing 9 p.m. and they were still five hours short of reaching their destination, Lower Dibang. “By the time we would reach our destination, it would be late night. I wonder how would I be able to go back tomorrow. This is pure harassment and misuse of power because an ILP is usually granted for 15 days.”

While waiting at Ruksin Gate, Emo Mili had told local reporters, “The ADC’s office was close to the border check gate. We went there but it was locked. Thankfully, we found his phone number and contacted him. He said there was pressure on him from the higher-ups; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stopped him from entering the state.”

Gonsalves had also told local reporters, “I came because Banu Tatak’s case is in the Supreme Court and in the high court. So I have come here to meet her to discuss the case. But local police refused to allow me into the state saying that I am a suspect in a case. There is an order from the ADC. So I am waiting here; I would say it is the best welcome I have got in Arunachal Pradesh…”

He also said he would have liked to meet some of the people displaced by the proposed dam and those who have not received any compensation for it.    

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