ITANAGAR, 11 Feb: The All Arunachal Tribal Students’ Union (AATSU) has demanded revocation of the scheduled tribe (ST) status of tribals who have converted to “foreign” religions.
The union said that individuals belonging to the ST community who have converted to foreign religions should not get reservation and other benefits which tribals are entitled to, and that all such benefits to them should be revoked.
The union also proposed modification of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religious Act, 1978.
“There is an urgent need to modify the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978, and to introduce a legal provision that cancels the ST status of tribals who convert to foreign religions,” the union said in a memorandum to the governor.
It said that “Article 25 of the Constitution reflects that once a person converts to another religion, they lose their identity.”
The union further said that, although the Constitution grants every person the right to freely profess, practice and propagate their religion, “these rights are subject to public order, morality and health, (and) the government can impose restrictions if religious practices disrupt social harmony.”
“ST status is granted based on unique cultural practices, traditional governance, and indigenous languages,” the union said, and added that “conversion to a foreign religion often results in the rejection of these customs and the adoption of foreign/non-tribal lifestyles.”
The union further claimed that “rapid conversion” of tribal people into “foreign” religions has resulted in the constitution of a major community of a particular religion-based community in the state.
The union said that the ST reservation system is designed to uplift disadvantaged tribal communities. It, however, said that many converted tribals are enjoying the privileges meant for the STs while aligning themselves with non-tribal religious institutions. “This creates an imbalance, as true tribals who follow indigenous traditions face competitions for government benefits and job opportunities,” it said.
It further demanded, among other things, ensuring that tribal identity is assessed based on cultural and linguistic continuity, not just ancestry; conducting periodic surveys to identity converted individuals; self-declaration of religion in government records to prevent fraudulent claims on ST benefits; and protecting tribal cultural and religious institutions and tribal languages by encouraging the use of the native languages in education, governance and daily life.
