New Delhi, Oct 19: The Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCHAP) and Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students Union (APCSU) today deplored the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh for moving and adopting a resolution rejecting the granting of citizenship to Chakmas & Hajongs in the Arunachal Pradesh State Assembly on Wednesday i.e. 18 October 2017 on the false pretext of “protecting the rights of the tribals” in the State.
“The fact that the State Government has moved and adopted a resolution rejecting grant of citizenship to the Chakma & Hajong applicants shows that it is not implementing the September 2015 judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and deliberately creating obstacles to scandalize and lower the dignity of the apex court. Under these circumstances, the CCRCHAP shall have no option but bring these deliberate contemptuous acts to the notice of the apex court for appropriate redress” CCRCHAP said.
“This is nothing but an excuse to contemptuously reject the judgments and directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, vitiate the atmosphere of peace, communal harmony and inter-community relationship established and strengthened in the past 53 years and continue the repression of the Chakmas and Hajongs”, CCRCHAP stated.
The Chakmas and Hajongs were settled in the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA, present day Arunachal Pradesh) which was under direct administration of the Union of India under “Definite Plan of Rehabilitation” during 1964-1969. Subject to fulfillment of conditions under the Citizenship Act, any person coming to India can obtain citizenship by naturalization and thousands of Hindu refugees from Pakistan have been conferred citizenship by the NDA government during last 3 years. The Hindu refugees who came to Rajasthan from Pakistan as late as 2000 have been given citizenship. The Chakmas and Hajongs are citizens of India but are being denied the same because of racial discrimination, it added.
