SHILLONG, May 10:A team of All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) led by its General Secretary Tobom Dai attended a joint meeting with the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 along with apex students’ organisations of other North Eastern States under the banner of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO).

The JPC headed by Member of Parliament, Rajendra Agarwal, is in Shillong to take the views of all the stakeholders regarding the Bill. A written submission was made to the Committee along with oral submissions before the JPC. While putting forth the strong objections of the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the AAPSU towards the Bill, Dai stated that the proposed Bill if approved and passed shall have large scale ramifications for a 100% tribal state like Arunachal Pradesh. Further, it shall also serve as a legal basis for furthering and legitimizing the claims of Chakma & Hajong refugees as the indigenous populace of the state and also shall defeat the very purpose of the Bengal Eastern frontier Regulation 1873 and various other regulations currently in force in the state.

The Bill which aims at granting citizenship to the people from minority communities- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians- from Afghanistan, Pakistan & Bangladesh after six years of residence in India. As it is evident that Chakmas are basically Buddhist & Hajongs are Hindus, the Bill if passed shall automatically make their claims more legitimate, the AAPSU said.

The JPC was also informed in brief about the demographic changes in Arunachal Pradesh due to large scale influx of illegal refugees and the legal battle currently underway in the Supreme Court of India.

                While urging the JPC to be more sympathetic towards the indigenous communities of North Eastern states who are their own countrymen, Tobom Dai also made a strong appeal to the Chairman of JPC to visit Arunachal Pradesh at the earliest to know about the actual ground realities as the state will also be greatly affected by the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. While cautioning the Union Government to respect the sentiments and aspirations of the indigenous communities, Dai warned those at the helm of affairs not to deliberately provoke the peace loving people and vitiate the already fragile atmosphere of the North east and also warned of large democratic agitation across the state if the Centre goes ahead with the bill.

While welcoming the decision of Conrad Sangma led Meghalaya government which had recently taken a cabinet decision to oppose the Bill, the Union also questioned the stance of the Arunachal Pradesh government regarding the same.

‘We urge the state government to display seriousness and take a bold stand against the proposed bill,’ he said.

 The AAPSU team comprised of Secretary Debate & Symposium, Marli Kamki, student activist Chemo Boje, and NESO members from the state Pritam Waii Sonam and Marge Riba.

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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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