The 12 hour dawn to dusk state wide bandh declared by All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) on Tuesday received massive support from the people of Arunachal. AAPSU called the bandh in protest against centre’s decision to grant citizenship right to Chakma-Hajong refugees based on the directive of Supreme Court of India. Feed up with the false promises of politicians and sensing imminent danger of being reduced to minority in their own homeland, the indigenous tribal communities of Arunachal has reposed faith on apex student body AAPSU to fight for its rights.
Therefore there is a huge responsibility upon the shoulder of AAPSU leaders to ensure that fight for justice should reach a logical conclusion. Besides resorting to bandh call, the union will have to explore other means in this regard. It’s time AAPSU look at the possibilities of knocking the door of various human right bodies at national and international level to present the case of indigenous tribal community of state. Arunachal is a protected state and the permanent settlement of lakhs of refugees will pose direct threat to the existence of indigenous community. This message should be conveyed to centre and SC so that they realize the gross mistake that they are committing. AAPSU will have to liaise with NGOs, media and human right bodies so that pain and agony of indigenous community reaches to the right ears.