The People’s Party of Arunachal has strongly criticized recent efforts by Chakma and Hajong organizations to frame the refugee crisis in the state as a religious issue. The party claims that individuals from these communities have made false claims about persecution of Hindu and Buddhist communities in Arunachal Pradesh, and that these statements are intended to incite hostility against the indigenous tribes of the state. The party argued that it is actually the indigenous people who have been negatively affected by the influx of refugees, which has had a significant impact on the state’s demographics.
It asked the refugee communities to “refrain from making demands which have a direct bearing on the hosts, ie, the indigenous people of the state.”
“The party is against giving any type of land rights, APST status or residential certificates, citizenship, etc, to both Chakmas and Hajongs within the territory of Arunachal Pradesh. The matter of higher education and central jobs may be worked out in line with other refugees in the country, outside the purview of Arunachal Pradesh, purely on humanitarian grounds,” it said.
Meanwhile, the PPA sought to know when the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal would be resettled.
“Both union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and Chief Minister Pema Khandu have previously made public statements regarding resettlement and deportation of the refugees from Arunachal Pradesh. The party would like to know from when the proposed resettlement process shall commence.”
“We would like to know whether the statement was made to befool the masses, or are they really serious about resolving the refugee crisis in the state? A full-fledged department of refugee affairs in the state government is the need of the hour, which should purely work towards settlement of the refugee issue, and the proposed department should be answerable to all queries on the issue.
The People’s Party of Arunachal emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of removing voters from the refugee community from the electoral roll. They also clarified that while they support the deportation of all refugees and illegal immigrants in the state, they also advocate for the development of a comprehensive policy for the Chakmas and Hajongs who were settled in the state in the 1960s until their deportation.
The People’s Party of Arunachal expressed skepticism about the intentions behind statements made regarding the refugee crisis in the state and called for the establishment of a government department dedicated to addressing the issue. The party suggested that this department should be responsible for resolving the refugee crisis and should be accountable to the public. They also emphasized the need to address the issue of removing voters from the refugee community from the electoral roll.
Source: The Arunachal Times
