ITANAGAR, Sep 21: Seeking a referendum rally, the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) demanded that the state BJP Government come out with clear policies and programmes to deal with the refugee issue rather than depending on student activists.
In a communiqué, the PPA said that the policy should be based on the legislation within the framework of the spirit of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, and demanded that the state government not keep the people of the state in the dark regarding the steps taken by the government to deal with the issue.
It also claimed that the statement given by Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju, that “The judgement of the Supreme Court of giving citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh is not implementable”, is contradictory to his earlier statements of giving citizenship rights to the refugees without giving them other rights.
The PPA demanded that the state government convene a referendum rally of all the state legislators, Members of Parliament, representatives of various political parties, civil societies, students’ organisations and Panchayat leaders to draw a concrete programme on how to fight the refugee issue in a united manner.
“We must all pledge that when we are fighting against foreigners and refugees, we must also identify the leaders and political parties that are masterminding the settlement of refugees in our state. Fighting against the refugee issue but coming to terms with those leaders and political parties backing the refugees will be counterproductive”, it added.
It also lauded the efforts of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union in spearheading the refugee issue and called on citizens to come forward voluntarily to bring an end to this “future danger”.
