DA says no ST certificate to Chakmas as students threaten bandh on APCS exam

YUPIA, Oct 27: Following the report that a Chakma candidate applied for the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Service Exam through Scheduled Tribe category from Papum Pare district, the district administration today swung into action and carried out a verification process.
Deputy Commissioner Tai Kaye confirmed that no ST certificate was issued from the DC office Yupia and added that issue of ST certificate to Chakma refugee does not arise. The DC also visited Chakma villages in Hollongi area on Friday to verify the matter.
In a release, DC informed that candidate Sameer Chakma, son of Shanti Chakma, aged 21 Year is resident of block no.8 of Chakma settlement area. During interaction with DC, Sameer Chakma stated that he had passed Class-VI from Govt ME School, Kokila and completed his graduation from Bhareli, Uttar Pradesh under aegis of Ullhas Kulkarni, an RSS activist from Guwahati. He also clarified that he did not even try to obtain ST certificate from DC office, Yupia.
Meanwhile DC Kaye reiterated that Chakmas are Scheduled Tribe (ST) in other state under Sixth Schedule of ST Acts and therefore possession of ST certificate from the Govt of Arunachal Pradesh does not arise. DC also appealed to the unions to establish fact from the concern authority before going to the press hurriedly.
Meanwhile the Central Executive Members of All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) today had a meeting with DC Tai Kaye to ascertain the fact whether the Office of the ADC, Balijan or DC, Yupia Papum Pare district had issued any Schedule Tribe Certificate to Sameer Chakma.
“After inquiry, it is found that Sameer Chakma filled the examination form of APPSCCE based on Supreme Court verdict of granting of Citizenship rights to Chakmas & Hajongs in the State of Arunachal Pradesh claiming himself to be ST of Papum Pare district in the examination form without submitting any ST certificate,” claimed APPDSU in a release.
The Union has condemned the Commission members for deliberately entertaining the forms submitted by Chakma candidates. It has passed a resolution to go for district bandh call if their names are immediately not removed from the selection list.
Further, APPDSU has asked State Government to revoke the standing Order wherein Chakmas were allotted temporary settlement in 1978 during NEFA period and has demanded for removal of all the Chakmas enrolled in the electoral roll of 14-Doimukh (ST) Assembly Constituency.
Union warned that if state government does not fulfill their demand, they will be compelled to declare district Bandh Call on November 26 which is the date for prelims exam.
Further Union informed that 10 Chakmas who applied for citizenship earlier were all rejected by district administration due to incomplete documents and not fulfilling the criteria required for applying Citizenship. Out of 10 Chakmas, only three Chakmas are residing in the present Chakma Blocks and seven Chakmas, some have left permanently from Papum Pare district and few had died.
“It also came to light during the discussion with the Deputy Commissioner that the original Chakma settlement areas allotted by Government of India from 1964 to 1967 for temporary settlement of Chakmas were from both sides of the river banks of Magoni River to Hollongi River (7 Km) adjoining the foothills areas (2 km) which covers total area of 14sqkms. Later, Chakmas were resettled block-wise from Hollongi-Karbi Village boundary areas to Sessa by GoAP in the year 1978 because of floods and were later shifted them to alternate plots with same total areas of 14sqkms,” added APPDSU.
Meanwhile, Green Arunachal Foundation (GAF) has vehemently condemned the state government and Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission for getting through Chakma refugee candidates to appear for the upcoming Arunachal Pradesh Public Service examination.
“It’s no lesser than cheating the people of Arunachal Pradesh that Chakma candidates have been given a go-ahead for appearing for APPCS examinations by the state government and the Public Service Commission. They should have been rejected in the scrutiny round of their documents”, said GAF Chairman Takam Tatung. The state government should have been careful and pro-active to deal with this sensitive refugee issue, added Tatung.
GAF has demanded reshuffling of the commission members for their alleged insensitivity in allowing refugees to appear for the most coveted and esteemed examination of the state.
‘It is being observed that Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju are nurturing soft corner for refugees. It is doubted that all these activities of the power corridors are being done to pave way for rehabilitation and facilitation of rights to Tibetan refugees at par with the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh.”, said the GAF Chairman.
Further, GAF has appealed all the civil society bodies, students’ Unions, intellectuals and the common man to rise against the present policies of the state government wherein refugees are being facilitated equal rights.