[ Bengia Ajum ]
LEKANG, 23 Feb: The Namsai police on Sunday detained five individuals amid an agitation staged by the All Moran Students’ Union’s (AMSU) Arunachal Pradesh unit, demanding permanent residence certificate (PRC), here in Namsai district.
A case was registered and the detainees were released after being questioned. The members of the AMSU’sArunachal unit had earlier boycotted the Statehood Day, demanding the granting of PRC to the Moran community living in Namsai district, and also enforced a blockade of the national highway.
Apart from enforcing a blockade of the national highway near the Dirak gate, some members barged into the Statehood Day celebration area, carrying black flags. Talking to this daily, Namsai Deputy Commissioner CR Khampa informed that the national highway is open for traffic and the situation is under control. “There was some disturbance earlier but yesterday onwards the road is open and there is no disturbance. On their part, the members of AMSU have placed a demand, seeking granting of PRC,” informed Khampa.
Meanwhile, the AMSU’s Arunachal unit said it will continue to fight for the Moran community’s right to get PRC. Talking to this daily, the AMSU’s Arunachal unit adviser Manoj Kumar Moran said that their demand is genuine.
“We Morans were living in the area before Arunachal became a state. When Arunachal was created out of NEFA, we became part of Arunachal. Our elders used to get PRC till the ’90s. But things changed and we are being denied our rights,” he said.
He also claimed that a survey was conducted before 2019, involving various stakeholders, and it was decided that the Arunachal government would grant PRC to the Moran community. “Our agitation will continue in the future too if our demand is not met. We are being treated like second-class citizens, which is truly unfortunate,” he added.
In November 2023 also, members of the AMSU’sArunachal unit, along with the public, had enforced a 12-hour Lekang bandh, demanding PRC for the community.
