Students’ body welcomes Arunachal Pradesh move to relocate Chakmas, Hajongs

An apex students’ organisation has welcomed the Arunachal Pradesh government’s decision to relocate Chakma and Hajong settlers beyond the State. “We appreciate Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s recent statement that the Chakmas and Hajongs would be relocated outside Arunachal,” All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union general secretary Tobom Dai said. Mr. Khandu in his Independence Day speech said “all illegal immigrant Chakmas will be settled outside Arunachal Pradesh with honour, and this matter has already been taken up and discussed with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.” Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had also promised to protect the inherent rights of the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh while asserting that no foreigner settled in the State will have permanent residence under the Citizenship Act. It said 94% of the Chakmas and Hajongs settled in present-day Arunachal Pradesh – it was called North East Frontier Agency in the 1960s – by the Union government are Indians by birth. The foundation also said other States, specifically adjoining Assam, should not be made a dumping ground of “unwanted people of the northeast” and reminded the Arunachal Pradesh government of the Supreme Court’s 1996 order granting citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs settled in the State.