The Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee has demanded the cancellation of ST certificates issued to non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (non-APST) individuals and has called for a comprehensive reverification of all such certificates across the state. It alleges that non-APST individuals are being wrongly included in the ST category, and has urged the state government to immediately review and revoke wrongly issued certificates, stressing that ST status is meant exclusively for the indigenous tribal communities of the state.
The committee has also cited instances of fake ST certificates, including allegations involving Tibetan refugees in Tawang.
The government must ensure that the constitutional mandate is strictly followed while issuing such certificates, and that these provisions are not misused by those who do not qualify. For years, various organisations have demanded action on this issue, and at times it has escalated into confrontations.
The administration must act with caution, adhere to established rules, as well as restore faith in the system and uphold the rights of Arunachal Pradesh’ indigenous communities.
At the same time, the government must ensure that individuals are neither harassed nor subjected to media trials, as such actions overstep established boundaries as has been witnessed in the past. While legal remedies remain available and should be pursued where necessary, resorting to media trials ought to be firmly avoided.