Editor,
The 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution includes provisions for the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in Northeast India. It establishes autonomous councils that have legislative, judicial, executive and financial powers to independently govern these areas.
As of the 2011 Census of India, the population of Ladakh is about 2.74 lakhs, while the population of Arunachal Pradesh is about 13.8 lakhs. There are 26 major tribes and more than 100 minor tribes in Arunachal, and the tribal population accounts for two-thirds of the state. Until now, other than the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, and the Chin Hill Regulation, 1896, there is no provision for protection of the indigenous rights of the state. Arunachal is the only state left out without any protective provisions for its tribal communities under the Indian Constitution.
In the absence of such protective mechanism, the tribals in Arunachal face the danger of language extinction, cultural customs disappearance, religious assimilation, and deprivation of community rights. For example, the Tangsa tribe is the largest tribe in Changlang district, with more than 40 sub-tribes, each with its own dialect, but the Tangsa language is still marked as ‘endangered’. At the same time, Tangam is a critically endangered language in Arunachal, with only more than 200 speakers.
Recently, I saw climate activist Sonam Wangchuk walking from Ladakh to New Delhi for the interests of the Ladakh tribes. I admire not only his courage but also his fighting spirit. He has been striving for Ladakh to be included in the Sixth Schedule since 2023. Now, with the joint efforts of his and the people of Ladakh, the Centre agrees to meet Ladakh Groups on 3 December. Ladakh is expected to be included in the 6th Schedule.
On the other hand, Arunachal has a wide variety of tribal populations and is more worthy of being included in the 6th Schedule. I suggest that the government conduct a census as soon as possible to understand the total number and distribution of tribes and populations, and use language types, and better protect endangered languages and tribes. At the same time, hold a meeting to discuss the agenda for Arunachal to be included in the 6th Schedule.
Avyaan Sharma