Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 18 Jul: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Monday served a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve the Chakma-Hajong issue.
Addressing media persons at the press club here, AAPSU president Dozi Tana Tara produced documents showing that the Diyun EAC issued residential proof certificates (RPC) to over 500 Chakmas and Hajongs in the Diyun administrative division.
He said that “the union has received inputs from reliable sources that the practice of issuing certificates to illegal migrants is being done under the knowledge of the Changlang DC and executed by the office of the Diyun EAC.”
Stating that “Arunachal is not a laboratory of Chakma and Hajong refugees,” Tara demanded that the Changlang DC and the Diyun EAC be suspended.
The AAPSU’s demands also includes “seizure of all the benefits and facilities availed by Bordumsa-Diyun MLA Samlung Mossang,” accusing him of “conspiring against the indigenous people of the state.”
Tara informed that one Robin Chakma, who works as a lower divisional clerk (LDC) at the Diyun EAC office, “is the person behind issuing RPCs to Chakma-Hajong refugees.” He demanded that Robin Chakma be terminated from his job, adding that “issuing RPCs to them itself is illegal.”
The union said that it submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Pema Khandu in this regard on Monday, in which it served the ultimatum to the state government.
“If no response comes from the government, the union will go for an indefinite statewide bandh from 2 August,” it said.
AAPSU vice president (protocol) Nabam Gandhi, general secretary Ritum Tali and vice president (administration) Bengia Pillia were also present at the press briefing.
When contacted, Changlang DC Sunny K Singh said that “there is no issue of RPCs to the refugees; however, residential certificates (RC) are issued for about more than 20 years for educational purpose, which is only limited for the stipulated duration of the study.”
RCs are also required to apply for central jobs, exclusively for army and private entities, he said.
The DC said that the administration will “seize issuing the RCs too if the government asks for it.”
Denying the allegation regarding the appointment of Robin Chakma as an LDC, he said that, “apart from the state government, a district administration cannot appoint such applicants. Moreover, a refugee is not entitled to avail a state service job.”
The DC further stated that he was not aware of any of the allegations levelled by the AAPSU. He said, however, that he has taken suo moto cognisance of the matter, and that “an inquiry will be initiated and, if found guilty, action will be taken up accordingly.”
