[ Indu Chukhu ]
ITANAGAR, 2 Mar: The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) on Sunday said that the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) district administration has refused to give permission to the ACF to stage a dharna in front of the state assembly on 6 March against the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978.
Speaking to mediapersons, ACF president Tarh Miri saidthat the programme was not given a no-objection certificate by the administration, citing an executive order issued by the district magistrate, Itanagar, on 5/8/2023.
The order read: “No permission for events, protests, rallies, etc, shall be granted seven (7) days before and during any national event, state event, or assembly session.”
“In compliance with the above order, this office is unable to issue the requested NOC for the peaceful dharna on 6/3/2025 within the Itanagar Capital Region jurisdiction,” it said.
The ACF criticised the authorities for not granting the permission.
“The government should not provoke us by not granting permission,” ACF general secretary James Techi Tara said.
“It is a peaceful democratic movement. We will meet the deputy commissioner again tomorrow (Monday),” he said.
The ACF had met Home Minister Mama Natung on 21 February, following a statewide protest on 17 February by the ACF against the APFRA.
“The home minister asked us to suggest amendments when we met him on the 21st. However, we had a meeting of all denominators on 27 February, where we decided that we would not accept any amendments. We want a complete repeal of the Act, and that is why we will continue our peaceful protest,” Miri said.
This development comes a day after the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh staged a march on Saturday, seeking the framing of rules for the APFRA.
