ITANAGAR, Mar 4: There was a short duration discussion on the issue ‘Tribal women marrying non-tribals and their offsprings getting scheduled tribe certificate’ in the legislative assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to the questions of various members who took part in the short duration discussion raised by MLA Nyamar Karbak, Social Justice, Empowerment and Tribal Affairs Minister Alo Libang informed the house that already two committees have been formed to examine the “vexed” issue and the second meeting is expected very soon.
He assured to place the findings and recommendations of the committee and bring a bill in the next session of the assembly.
Raising the issue, Karbak said that “the offsprings of tribal women married to a non-tribal is breaking the very traditional patriarchal system of the tribals by giving them a local tribal name and getting ST certificate.”
Taking part in the discussion, MLA Hayang Mangfi termed it “a very serious issue” and “a big threat for the future generations.” Saying, “We have been endangered in our own land in employment and business sectors by these people and the demography of the state is changing very fast,” he demanded that a high-power committee should be constituted and a bill be brought in the very next session on the basis of its findings to safeguard the local tribals.
MLA Tana Hali, while supporting the issue, said the beauty and “the identity of the Arunachalee tribals is being polluted by the products of such cross marriages” and demanded that such perpetrators should be immediately identified and punished as per law.
Raga MLA Tarin Dakpe said, “the population of the offsprings of such marriages has been increasing day by day and the contract works, business and employment are increasingly being controlled by such persons. It should be checked at its nascent stage by making compulsory registration of their marriage.” (DIPR)
AAPSU welcomes discussion on offspring issue
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) welcomed the discussion on the issue of children born to non-APST fathers and APST mothers during the ongoing assembly session.
“Though it was late, the matter has finally been taken up for discussion in the assembly in the interest of the people of the state,” the AAPSU said in a press statement, adding: “It is the result of rigorous persuasion by AAPSU.”
Stating that the union is against any leniency on this sensitive matter, the apex students’ body of the state urged all members of the assembly to refrain from making such statements or observations, which are detrimental to the interests of the indigenous people of Arunachal.
It urged all of them to take a serious call on the issue and initiate promulgation of a stringent legislation to curb this menace.