ITANAGAR, Jan 13: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Monday urged the state government to conduct a comprehensive survey to ascertain the actual number of Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state.
While the union welcomed Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s recent statement in the state assembly regarding the official status of the Chakmas and the Hajongs in Arunachal post the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, it said there is “confusion and serious discrepancy among the authorities” with regard to the actual number of refugees in the state.
On 16 December last year, an AAPSU team had called on the chief minister and submitted a representation seeking “immediate clearance of the official status of the refugees.”
The AAPSU urged the state government to strengthen the inner line permit (ILP) system in the state, and to set up special fast-track courts in all the districts to try offenders who violate the provisions of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.
However, it also sought simplification of the process for obtaining ILPs for genuine visitors.
Reiterating its support to the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) in its fight against the CAA, the AAPSU said it would “continue its fight against the CAA collectively with other apex student organisations of the Northeast under the banner of the NESO.”
The union welcomed the Arunachal Pradesh Teachers Transfer & Posting Policy, 2020, and at the same time opined that “unless the policy is implemented in letter and spirit, it won’t serve its actual purpose.”
It requested the teachers and the lawmakers to cooperate in the implementation of the new policy in the greater interest of the students.
