ITANAGAR, Sep 9: Placing the responsibility of introducing the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014 on consecutive governments, including the Congress party, state Bharatiya Janata Party Vice President and party Chief Spokesperson Dominic Tadar on Saturday said that the state BJP and its government cannot defend the settlement of any refugee or foreigners within the territory of Arunachal Pradesh, except on the basis of a Government of India policy based on international laws that have been handed down by consecutive central governments in the past.
Saying that the central government policy with the Tibetan refugees has been signed and extended by consecutive central governments in the past, including the government led by the Congress, Tadar in a press communiqué emphasised that the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy, 2014 extended by the Modi-led Government is only a continuation of the existing policy with the Tibetan refugees.
“The state Congress should ponder over the decision of their great leaders of the past as to why the refugees were to be temporarily settled in India instead of trying to create confusion out of it”, he asserted.
Saying that the issue of Tibetan refugees cannot be equated with other refugees settled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh as there are complete different parameters, Tadar highlighted that the issues relating to the Tibetan Refugees are coordinated by the Dalai Lama’s Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC) and the Government of India consults with this central committee on regular basis on the problems of Tibetan refugees.
Justifying the stance of the government, he informed that the guidelines of the policy which states that Tibetans may be allowed to undertake any economic activity and to that extent, relevant papers, trade license and permit may be issued to them, with permit to take jobs in any field for which they are professionally qualified, are purely on humanitarian considerations to equip them with self earning methods to survive as long as they are allowed to stay in India.
“All these facilities are extended only to Registration Card holders, which are certified by the Central Tibetan Relief Committee”, Tadar informed.
On the 20 years lease agreement of land for settlement and other businesses, he informed that these are signed only with the CTRC and not with individual Tibetans. The settlement areas of refugees are restricted to only demarcated areas as per lease agreement with the respective state governments.
“All these are regulated by the central government from time to time with the CTRC”, the BJP Chief Spokesperson said.
Asking everyone to stand beyond politics in the matter of Tibetan refugees, he said that it would not be correct to blame Jawahar Lal Nehru and his party for giving asylum to His Holiness and his people in the country.
Claiming that the matter of Tibetan refugees in India is only a temporary adjustment, Tadar said “We wish for early return of the refugees to their country with great honour”.
