ITANAGAR, Jan 19: The United Arunachal Indigenous People’s Forum (UAIPF) on Saturday reiterated its demand that Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy CM Chowna Mein withdraw their statements regarding issuing PRCs as a “new year gift” to the non-indigenous people settled in Lekang in Namsai district.
Addressing media persons at the press club here, UAIPF president Laffe Paffa said legislators, “including former minister Bida Taku, should stop playing with the sentiments of the indigenous people for their votebank politics.”
Paffa also questioned the state government’s silence over the bandh imposed recently, and over the threat of an economic blockade issued by agitating non-APST communities in Lekang.
“If the state government can invoke the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2014 against the indigenous people, why are the non-APST people of Lekang being given undue freedom to carry out their agitation?” he said.
Citing the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act 1873, the forum said any administrative order, certificate or document issued in contravention of the act “is liable to cancellation, including the joint high power committee or cabinet decisions on PRC.”
Stating that the BEFR Act was enacted in 1873, the UAIPF president said the members of the six non-indigenous agitating communities should “make copies of their pedigree history public to ascertain whether their claims are genuine or not.”
The forum further said it is liable to undertake “non-cooperation and social movements” against the state government if the government fails to honour the sentiments of its own people.
