ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Sep 22:In the wake of the Supreme Court order to  grant  citizenship to Chakma & Hajong  in the state, the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF) on Friday has urged the state government to summon a special session of the Assembly and pass an emergency ordinance that could be thereafter passed in Parliament against the SC order.

In a press conference, AITF, Chairman, Bengia Tolum on behalf of all community based organizations (CBOs) expressed strong objection and affirmed not to share an inch of tribal land with the refugees in any circumstance even if it is a Supreme Court order.

Extending full support to the AAPSU movement, Tolum while terming the decision as completely "biased" and  "unacceptable " said that the decision was taken without the consent of people of the state. 

Clarifying that the forum is not against the granting of citizenship to Refugees, he however asserted that they must be shifted out of the state first.

Referring to the Tamil Nadu government’s stand on “Jallikattu”, he opined that such a law can also be passed in the state assembly in direct contravention of the Supreme Court's order.

Also objecting the adaptation of Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy along with proposed creation of 100 posts of Bodhi teachers, the Forum advised the state government to first come up with a proper State education and language policy considering the fact that there are many indigenous tribal languages recognized and notified by the state government as third language.

Tolum claimed  that Arunachal still does not have any uniform education or language policy and alleged that any policy decision on creation and recruitment of any vernacular language teachers shall have to be all inclusive in wider consultation with the academic expertise of the indigenous tribe so that there is no sense of alienation and policy discrimination.

There should be no “pick & choose policy decision” on any vernacular language in the state. And creation of Bodhi Teachers will be like depriving the other indigenous languages in the state and AITF will never allow it, he added.

Also strongly condemning the “flip-flop” of Junior Home Minister, Kiren Rijiju on the vexed issue, Tolum alleged that the people of the state are puzzled  by the statement given by Rijiju to the media on the refugee issue.

"We are puzzled whose side he is on—ours or for the refugees. Sometimes he expresses helplessness due to the Supreme Court order, while sometimes he vows to protect the land. His statements in media are self contradictory," Tolum quipped.

Tolum went on to call Rijiju a “chameleon” and sought his clarification on white paper to clear the confusion that whether he is on the side of refugees or the people of the state.

Further condemning all MPs of the state for deliberately failing to safeguard the state  at this hour of crisis, Tolum while questioning their integrity has expressed pain that all MPs are silent on the issue.

The AITF chairman also expressed resentment for not been given an appointment despite several request letters submitted to CM office and urged the CM to call a meeting to have a threadbare discussion over the refugees issues with all CBOs leaders.

Furthermore, the AITF also urged the government to expedite the Green field airport project, for which the technical experts have already given approval.

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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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