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Journalism of Courage
Days after a confrontation between the Mizoram Power and Electricity Minister’s staff and Assam Rifles personnel at a security barricade on the outskirts of Aizawl, allegations are flying from both sides. While the minister, F Rodingliana of the Zoram People’s Movement, has alleged that his convoy was stopped by the security personnel, the Assam Rifles has claimed that power supply to their posts in Mizoram was cut off following the altercation.
The confrontation took place on Thursday, on the highway near Zokhawsang, on the outskirts of Aizawl. Video clips of the altercation showed a group of men — purportedly members of the minister’s staff — arguing with Assam Rifles personnel deployed on the highway.
Following the incident, Rodingliana told reporters in Aizawl that his convoy was stopped when he was returning to the city from Champhai district, despite his team telling the security personnel that he was a minister.
“A few metres after we passed the barricade, three personnel stopped us, stating that they were told to do so by their commander. I argued that I am the power minister… But the personnel did not let us go for some time,” he said, according to a PTI report on Thursday.
The Assam Rifles issued a “rebuttal” on Saturday, stating that a checkpost had been set up at the site, based on inputs on the possible movement of “war-like stores”. It said the minister’s convoy of four vehicles was allowed to pass, and the convoy “voluntarily stopped” at a location where routine checks were being conducted on civilian vehicles.
In its statement, the Assam Rifles alleged that the minister’s secretary “exited his vehicle, removed his jacket, and verbally abused the Assam Rifles personnel on duty” while other members of the convoy “engaged in disruptive behaviour”.
The statement went on to allege that the minister’s staff threatened “to cut off Assam Rifles’ power supply” and that soon after, Assam Rifles’ posts across Mizoram were affected by power outages. According to an official, the power outage continued for around seven hours on Thursday and supply was only restored at night after the Commander of the Assam Rifles sector in Aizawl reached out to Chief Minister Lalduhoma.
When contacted, Rodingliana denied that there were any targeted power outages. “There are no separate power lines for the Assam Rifles. For the last few days, the whole of Mizoram, including Aizawl, has been having power outages because work is going on to change the existing power lines with ABC cables,” he told The Indian Express.
He said “the main issue” was another confrontation that his convoy had with Assam Rifles personnel five days earlier, on October 12, when he was visiting his constituency of Lengteng.
“I had visited my constituency and at around 4:30 pm, we were held up at a checkpoint. Because of this, people were waiting for me for about half-an-hour, so my PA went to speak to the personnel. A jawan misbehaved with us, pushed a guard, and asked me multiple times who I am despite being told that I am a minister,” he claimed.
The Assam Rifles, in turn, have now accused the minister and his staff of having “abducted” the jawan on October 12, following the altercation, alleging that he was released after the intervention of a local commander.
Weighing in on the row, Mizoram’s apex students’ body, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, has called the Assam Rifles’ conduct “an insult to the Mizo people”, criticising it for “disrespecting” an elected representative.
With PTI inputs
