Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 18 Dec: The All-Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) on Saturday served 15 days ultimatum to the state government to carry out enumeration process of Chakmas and Hajongs settled in Arunachal Pradesh.
In a press conference held here this afternoon, AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai claimed that the census process of Chakmas and Hajongs refugees has been halted by the government after a letter was served to the state government from the Prime Minister of India office.
“Government of Arunachal Pradesh should promptly reply to the Prime Minister’s office informing them it’s a normal administrative exercise and at the same time enumeration process of Chakma and Hajongs should continue” Dai said.
On 7 December, Prime Minister of India office sought response from the state government on ‘racial profiling’ following a complaint by the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) chairman Suhas Chakma.
AAPSU general secretary further urged the state government not to succumb to external forces.
“Under any circumstances the state government should not succumb to the pressure from malicious forces like Chakma Development Foundation,” Dai added while expressing his apprehension that the government may halt the process of enumeration of Chakma and Hajong refugees after receiving letter from the PMO office.
Dai further argued that enumeration of Chakma and Hajongs is not racial profiling as alleged by CDFI rather a regular administrative exercise to maintain the exact data of refugees living in Arunachal Pradesh to safeguard the indigenous people.
The CDFI had petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat against the alleged racial profiling of 65,000 Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh. The foundation alleged the Arunachal government would carry out the exercise for these two communities from December 11 with the ultimate aim to drive them out of the state.
AAPSU further questioned the state government on the status of Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute issue. AAPSU vice president protocol Tayuk Sonam stated that-AAPSU wants clarity on the status of Assam-Arunachal boundary issue. “Within seven days the government should tell the status of the Assam-Arunachal boundary issue,” demanded AAPSU VP Tayuk Sonam.
The union observed that prolonging boundary dispute may further worsen the situation of residents living along Assam-Arunachal boundary. It claimed that Assam officials are traumatizing and harassing residents living along the boundary.
AAPSU informed that Assam officials had recently erected vertical poles in Phinbiro-I of Changlang district.
“Till there is a permanent solution to the boundary dispute, the forces should be deployed at various disputed areas to maintain peace and to secure lives and properties of residents living along the boundary,” AAPSU stated.
