ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Dec 27: Hundreds of youths, students and citizens poured onto the streets of Itanagar on Saturday in a massive ‘Mashaal’ (torchlight) rally against the alleged settlement of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
The rally, jointly organised by the All Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO), All Naharlagun Youth Association (ANYWA) and the Indigenous Youth Force of Arunachal (IYFA), began from Akashdeep and concluded at the Tennis Court, IG Park. Protesters marched with the National Flag and blazing torches, reverberating the capital with slogans such as “Bangladeshi Go Back” and demanding immediate identification and deportation of all suspected illegal immigrants from the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR).
Addressing the gathering, APIYO president Taro Sonam Liyak said the rally was a warning signal borne out of growing frustration and fear among indigenous communities.
“Arunachal’s land, culture and identity are non-negotiable. The unchecked influx of illegal immigrants threatens the demographic balance and the very existence of indigenous people,” he asserted.
The youth bodies also linked the issue to national security, expressing alarm over recent arrests made by Arunachal Pradesh Police of individuals from Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly passing sensitive information to Pakistan-based handlers. They cautioned that continued inaction could push the state towards a grave law-and-order and security crisis.
“Residents of the capital complex are living under psychological pressure and insecurity. If timely action is not taken, the situation may spiral out of control,” Liyak warned, while affirming that the movement would continue until tangible results are achieved.
Drawing parallels with Assam’s deportation drive against illegal immigrants, the organisations urged the state government to transform its assurances into decisive and visible action on the ground.
The organisations reiterated their core demands, including scrapping allegedly illegal Jama Masjid and madrassa constructions in the ICR, identification and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and recognition of only two legally sanctioned Jama Masjids in the capital region-issues they claimed have remained unresolved despite repeated commitments by the government.

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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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