Arunachal Assembly’s ‘Outreach Connect’ engages NERIST students on democracy and constitutional values

As part of its Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly @50 Outreach Connect Initiative, the state assembly engaged with thousands of students and academicians at the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST) in Nirjuli, fostering dialogue on democracy and the role of youth in shaping India’s future.

The programme was attended by Arunachal Assembly Speaker Tesam Pongte, Itanagar MLA Techi Kaso, and Dr. Topi Basar, Faculty of Law at Rajiv Gandhi University, who served as the resource person. Prof. Narendranath S., Director of NERIST, hosted the event, with Additional Secretary of the Legislative Assembly Agaab Mossang also present.

In his keynote address, Dr. Basar emphasised that rights and duties are intertwined, noting, “Our rights lie in our duty, and rights are contained in our duty. Fundamental rights are enforceable in court, but duties are not unless mandated by the government. Neither has primacy over the other; both must be balanced to prevent arbitrary use of power by the state.”

Highlighting the role of the judiciary as the guardian of the Constitution, he stressed that freedom of speech and expression is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions to prevent misuse, including defamation. “Rights such as the right to live also entail a duty to protect and preserve the environment,” he noted, underscoring constitutionalism as a cornerstone of governance.

Speaking to India Today NE, Speaker Tesam Pongte remarked that Arunachal Pradesh, being a predominantly tribal state, has rich indigenous traditions and customary laws. He called for the preservation of these systems—practised by ancestors through local courts—as an integral part of the state’s identity and governance.