ITANAGAR, Jan 3: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has welcomed the decision of the union cabinet to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2018 for amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order 1950 to modify the list of the Scheduled Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.
“The amendment if duly approved will be beneficial, especially for the numerous indigenous tribes of eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh, viz, the Nocte, Tutsa, Tangsa, Wangcho, etc, who were until today classified under the vague and ambiguous terminology of ‘Any Other Naga Tribes’,” AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said in a statement on Thursday evening.
“Such improper classification of these tribes was a historical blunder which resulted in numerous hardships and a sort of identity crisis for them,” he said.
The union, Dai said, is hopeful that the bill will also correct the names of other tribes whose names were wrongly recorded in the earlier ST order, and will provide for their classification.
The AAPSU also acknowledged the efforts of MPs Kiren Rijiju and Ninong Ering and everyone else involved in successfully pursuing the matter with the union government.
“Numerous representations in this regard have been previously submitted to the union home ministry, including a separate memorandum which was submitted to the President of India Dr Ram Nath Kovind when he last visited Arunachal Pradesh,” Dai informed.
“This was one of the long-pending demands of the AAPSU,” he added.
