Galo Students' Strike Shakes Aalo for Education Reforms

Aalo in Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a complete shutdown due to a bandh called by the Galo Students' Union. The move aimed to urge the state government to operationalize the science stream at Donyi Polo Government College and appoint a principal at Government Model College, Basar. The bandh concluded peacefully.

Normalcy was disrupted in Aalo, headquarters of West Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh, as the Galo Students' Union initiated a dawn-to-dusk bandh on Monday.

This 12-hour strike, commencing at 5 am, was designed to compel the state government into action, specifically to activate the science stream at Donyi Polo Government College and appoint a regular principal with full powers at Government Model College, Basar.

Throughout the bandh, the typically bustling main thoroughfare was eerily quiet, with private and public transport absent, and the usually vibrant marketplace shuttered. While schools and colleges joined in the shutdown, government offices saw minimal attendance, reflecting widespread compliance with the protest's demands.

Volunteers of the GSU actively participated, blocking roads by burning tyres and organizing sit-ins. Investigations revealed that the protest remained peaceful; no incidents of violence were reported across the district according to West Siang SP Kardak Riba. Although some students briefly disrupted local infrastructure, they cooperated with police efforts to restore order.

The Galo community's primary student organization criticized the government's sluggishness, highlighting that despite the inauguration of the Kamki science stream building by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in 2021, the stream is not functional after four years. Additionally, the delay in appointing a principal at Basar is undermining the college's daily operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)