ITANAGAR, Apr 9: The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) has slammed the inclusion of the promise to pass the citizenship amendment bill (CAB) in the BJP’s manifesto.
“With the promise to pass the CAB, the BJP has shown its anti-tribal colours once again. The hidden agenda of the BJP to de-tribalise Northeast India has been shown by the policies devised by the party,” PPA president Kahfa Bengia stated in a release.
“The objection to our tribal food habit of eating beef, the unsuccessful attempt to pass the CAB, and the unsuccessful attempt by the state government to give PRCs to non-APSTs show the anti-tribal ideology of the party,” he said, and expressed apprehension that the BJP might someday seek to repeal the inner line permit system, as well, “just like the way they have promised to repeal Article 370, which provides special status to Jammu & Kashmir.”
He said if the BJP truly cared for the state and its tribal rights, it would have amended the “defective” Statehood Act and taken Arunachal off the purview of Article 371 H.
“What is more disappointing is that a certain BJP parliamentarian from Arunachal West, who is regarded as the face of the Northeast at the Centre, claims that the CAB will not have any effect on Arunachal Pradesh. In Arunachal, Chakmas and Hajongs have been living for decades. According to the CAB, Hindus and Buddhists living in India for six years will be given Indian citizenship.
“That means that the Chakmas (who are Buddhists) and the Hajongs (who are Hindus) living in Arunachal will be directly benefitted by the CAB,” Bengia said.
