ITANAGAR, Nov 5: Reacting to the Chakma Rights and Development Organization’s (CRDO) statement regarding the status of Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state, the All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) said the CRDO’s claims were “baseless and misguiding.”
In a press release, the APPDSU on Monday condemned and denied the CRDO’s claim that Chakmas and Hajongs are not entitled to any refugee benefits in the state.
On the CDRO’s appeal to the state government to implement the Supreme Court (SC) verdict and treat Chakmas and Hajongs without any discrimination, the APPDSU said the enrollment of Chakmas and Hajongs
in the state’s electoral rolls “means that they are availing benefits from the state government of Arunachal Pradesh like any other citizen of India settled in the state.”
With regard to SC verdict, the union said, “Nowhere in the verdict is it mentioned that Chakmas and Hajongs can enjoy dual status in Arunachal Pradesh by enjoying refugee status as well as of citizen of Arunachal Pradesh. Therefore there is no question of any discrimination against the Chakmas and Hajongs settled in the state.”
It said “though the ECI is autonomous, it cannot direct the state government to grant dual benefits to Chakmas and Hajongs, which is illegal in the eyes of the law. The state government has every right to cancel such dual status enjoyed by any individual in Arunachal Pradesh.”
On Saturday, Changlang-based CRDO had said the Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state are not entitled to any refugee benefits, and that no such benefits have ever been given to them.
In a press release, the organisation had urged the state government to implement the SC verdict and treat Chakmas and Hajongs without any discrimination.
In the matter of the refugees being enrolled in the state’s electoral rolls, the organisation had said the autonomous functioning of the ECI should be upheld.
