Chakma-Hajong Citizenship Issue

ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Sep 15: The legal team of AAPSU who spearheaded the case against Chakma Hajong Refugees today termed the Centre’s decision to grant citizenship to the refugees as arbitrary and violation of judicial proceedings claiming the case is still in the Supreme Court.

‘Though Supreme Court has given its verdict on 2015 but there is no any clear statement in the verdict to grant citizenship. Moreover, Special Leave Petition filed by the AAPSU in 2015 is yet to be heard and so the case is still pending,’ said the Union’s Legal Advisor Marto Kato.

Stating that, Kato further slammed the Centre and state government for violating the judicial procedure.

State government has never shown keenness earlier to protect the indigenous rights and always neglected the legal proceeding. Moreover they failed to place the resolution taken during the All Party meeting also attended by MoS Kiren Rijiju including Chief Minister Pema Khandu where in unison everyone had objected granting of citizenship to the refugees in the recently held high level meeting at New Delhi, he added.

Directive was issued by the SC to verify the legal Chakma refugees who settled after 1964 before going for any decision to grant citizenship.

‘As per record at least 4637 application was received by the  authority but later it was found that applications were fake and filed by couple of Chakma people sitting in Delhi,’ Kato claims.

As per original record only 57 people were settled as refugees in Arunachal during 1964 but now it has gone up to 4 lakh.

In the same line in 2016 at least 897 applications were received and interestingly all of them were rejected on the ground that they are not fit according to the norms of the Govt of India, the Union informed.

‘In the verdict of Guwahati High Court Khudiram Chakma vs Others the GHC has clearly mentioned that Chakmas are refugees and Alien and cannot be given citizenship,’ said another Legal Advisor and Former President AAPSU Nabam Jelo.

Government of India should not undermine the emotions of the indigenous people of Arunachal, said General Secretary Tobom Dai while stating that the Union will go to any extend  to safe the rights of its people. He also appealed the all the people of the state to openly come in support of the union on September 19 next.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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