The Arunachal Pradesh government has defended the arrest of two persons for defacing public property.
Ebo Mili, an Itanagar–based lawyer and Nilim Mahanta, an Assam–based artist were arrested on March 27 for writing an anti–dam slogan and drawing a protest logo over the mural of a hydroelectric project.
The mural, named “Wall of Harmony”, was painted on the wall of the civil secretariat in Itanagar as part of the celebration of 50 years of the existence of Arunachal Pradesh, first as a Union Territory and then as a State.
“The government of Arunachal Pradesh seeks to put on record that the arrests made do not pertain to anti–dam or any other protest. We firmly believe in freedom of expression and the right to dissent or protest by any citizen within the framework of law,” Home Minister and government spokesperson Bamang Felix said on Tuesday.
“In the present case, it must be understood by all that the arrests made are not of any protester but of two individuals who defaced a public property, which calls for legal action under relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984,” he said.
The two were booked under Section 425 (mischief) and Section 35 (criminal act done intentionally) besides the PDPP Act.
Mr. Felix said the government had commissioned the mural to eight local artists for celebrating the State’s cultural and natural heritage and chronologically honouring the major milestones achieved over the last 50 years.
“The two individuals, by their act of defacing the Wall of Harmony, not only encroached upon public property but also hurt the sentiments of all Arunachalees, who take much pride in their glorious past,” he said.
He claimed the State government has no issues with their intent but it cannot be lenient to any act that “borders on crime” and also goes against the popular sentiments. He said the State government will abide by the decision of the court in the case.
