Indian Youth Congress Protests Road Naming in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) is fighting the Pema Khandu-led government over the naming of a new road in Naharlagun. The route connects Damsite to Model Village. Officials chose to name it after Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. The opposition says this move relies too heavily on political symbolism.

Tarh Johny, national general secretary of the IYC, slammed the decision. He argues that public works must honor the local identity of Arunachal Pradesh. Johny stated that public infrastructure should reflect the state’s collective heritage rather than political symbolism. He believes the government ignored home-grown heroes to push an outside agenda.

The group listed several local figures they feel deserve the recognition instead. Their list includes Moje Riba, Matmur Jamoh, Dr Bengia Tolum, Talom Rukbo, Gegong Apang, Dorjee Khandu, and Kalikho Pul. Johny claims the government is ignoring real problems like unemployment and poor rural roads to focus on optics. He wants a new process for naming assets. This would involve historians, local groups, and residents in future decisions.