ITANAGAR, 13 Feb: Former director general of police Dr AP Rout stressed the importance of balancing tribal culture with nationalism.
Delivering a special talk on ‘Northeastern borderlands: Issues and challenges’, organised by the anthropology department of Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), in collaboration with the Itanagar chapter of the Forum for Awareness of National Security (FANS), here on Friday, Rout highlighted the need to strengthen both internal and external security measures to effectively deal with borderland issues.
Dr Rout advised students to “move forward with modernity in a responsible manner.” He cautioned them against falling into problems such as drug abuse, and urged them to “remain alert about misinformation and cyber security threats in today’s social media-driven world.” He encouraged the youths to stay aware, disciplined, and rooted in their cultural values.
Earlier, DNGC Anthropology HoD Dr Ratna Tayeng highlighted that “awareness is the first line of defence, as when citizens are informed, the nation is empowered.”
DNGC Principal Dr MQ Khan spoke about the strategic importance of Arunachal Pradesh in the national context. He said that, being a border state, Arunachal holds a very significant position in terms of national security. He stressed the need to sensitise citizens, especially the youths, to the importance of safeguarding borderland areas and understanding related challenges with maturity and responsibility.
Former water resource department director VN Pandey addressed the gathering on the importance of national security as a top priority for the country. He explained that the Itanagar chapter of the FANS works in various areas related to national security awareness and preservation of cultural identity.
He also stressed that the inner line permit system should be strengthened with the active support of civil society organisations to protect the tribal culture and identity of the state.
An interactive session followed the talks, during which students raised questions to the speakers. “The discussion covered important topics, such as inter-marriage and domicile issues, the perceived divide between mainland and peripheral India, border demarcation, and concerns related to racial discrimination,” the DNGC informed in a release.
