[ Indu Chukhu ]
ITANAGAR, 22 Feb: The Arunachal Democratic Party (ADP) said that implementing the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978 at the current juncture would result in grave consequences and divide the society along religious lines.
“The people of our state are liberal and secular in nature; so we feel that there is no need to implement the Act,” ADP president Tami Pangu told mediapersons during a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here on Saturday.
Responding to Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s recent allegation that some political parties were trying to politicise the issue, Pangu said that “there is no question of politicising the issue, as the state does not have any opposition member in the legislative assembly.”
“The ADP never intends to create hatred, discrimination, or disharmony among the people of the state. We have placed our opinion in the greater interest of our people,” he said.
“Though there are differences in our cultures, customs, and faiths, we are one. We are Arunachali and the ADP respects the culture, customs and faiths of each and every Arunachali and shall fight to protect and preserve their rights and privileges in the state,” Pangu added.
The ADP suggested that, instead of enacting any controversial law, “the government should work towards securing the people of the state by early amendment and rectification of the defective statehood given under Article 371 (H), to preserve and protect the rights of the indigenous people of the state.”
The party also appealed to the Pema Khandu-led government to initiate steps to waive Article 371 (H) and include Arunachal Pradesh under the provisions of Article 371 (A) and 371 (G), in line with Nagaland and Mizoram.
The party urged all community-based organisations, religious groups and civil society groups to make Arunachal a safe state.
On the other hand, the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFSCAP) has appealed to the state government to implement the Act, saying that the Pema Khandu government would face contempt of court if the APFRA is not implemented within six months.
Addressing reporters during a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here on Saturday, IFSCAP spokesperson Pai Dawe said that, since the formation of the IFSCAP on 1999, successive governments have offered only lip service and not implemented the Act.
“It’s very important to save our cultures and traditions, because they are unique in many ways,” Dawe said, and questioned the state government’s intention, saying that it should announce that the Act would be implemented.
Reacting to the Arunachal Christian Forum’s (ACF) contention that the Act is draconian, the IFSCAP sought to know how an Act that has been assented by the governor and the president of the country on 26 October, 1978 be called draconian.
It also questioned the statistics given by the ACF on the Christian population, and said that “the government has failed to record the demographic status of the state.”
The IFSCAP also criticised the three MLAs who joined the ACF’s rally recently, saying that “politicians should not represent one single religious community.”
Requesting the state government to not repeal the Act under any circumstance, the IFSCAP said that it would take “any way forward” if the Act is repealed.
