[ Harshwardhan Pillai, Prem Chetry, Pisi Zauing ]
ITANAGAR, 9 Jun: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Monday took out statewide rallies against illegal immigration in Arunachal Pradesh.
All district student bodies under the apex students’ organization of the state took part in the rally, with the theme ‘Save Arunachal from Illegal Immigrants’.
In Yupia, All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) president Gollo Lento spoke on the issue. He addressed the issue of illegal immigration in Arunachal -particularly the presence of Bangladeshi immigrants and the longstanding Chakma-Hajong refugees.
The APPDSU, which held the rally in Yupia, stated that the Chakma and Hajong refugees, who came to the state in 1964, have now spread beyond their designated settlements.
The union also demanded the removal of voting rights and job quotas for non-APST individuals in Arunachal, stressing the need to protect indigenous identity.
They also highlighted serious issues in the education sector, such as an uneven student-teacher ratio in schools and colleges in the Itanagar Capital Region, and cases where teachers take medical leave to avoid transfers.
The APPDSU called for strict legal action in such cases, and sought “better deployment of teachers,”especially in remote areas like Papum Pare.
The rally aimed to raise public awareness and push for immediate attention to both socio-political and academic challenges.
Similar rallies were taken out in all the districts of the state by the district-based students unions, such as the All Lower Siang District Students’ Union, West Siang District Students’ Union, All West Kameng District Students’ Union, and others.
The All West Kameng District Students’ (AWKDSU) organised a peaceful protest rally in solidarity with the AAPSU in Bomdila in West Kameng district on Monday.
Under the umbrella of the district students’ union, various community-based student unions of the district and former leaders sought cabinet approval for removal of non-APST voters, deportation of illegal immigrants from Arunachal, and protectionthe indigenous identity of Arunachal.
AWKDSU president Khambo Sakrinsow and general secretary Dorjee Tashi submitted the three-point memorandum to the chief secretary through the deputy commissioner.
The memorandum stated that the presence and silent proliferation of illegal immigrants in the state, including Chakma-Hajong settlers, illegal Nepali, Bhutanese, Tibetan, and Bangladeshi Muslim migrants have grown into a socio-political crisis.
In Changlang district headquarters, a rally was organised by the AAPSU, demanding immediate deportation of illegal immigrants from the state.
Representatives of the All Changlang District ‘Students Union, All Tai Khamti Singpho Students’Union, Miao Singpho Ramma Hpung, All Tangsa Students’ Union, All Tutsa Students’ Union, All Muklom Students’ Union and the Nampong-Manmao-Jairampur Youth Association, among others, joined the rally.
After culmination of the procession, the leaders of student groups submitted a joint memorandum to the deputy commissioner and addressed the gathering.
The memorandum was a collective expression of the growing concern of the indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh regarding the unchecked and alarming presence of illegal immigrants within the territorial jurisdiction of the state, which poses a direct threat to the demographic integrity, cultural identity and socio-political rights of the indigenous people.
The memorandum urged the government to pass a cabinet decision to initiate a comprehensive review and remove the names of all non-APST and illegal immigrants from the electoral rolls.
The student leaders through the memorandum demanded thorough investigation, identification, eradication and elimination of duplicate and dual voter registrations.
The student leaders further demanded immediate identification and deportation of all illegal immigrants residing in Arunachal, especially the Chakmas, Hajongs, Nepalis, and Bhutanese.
Similar rallies were also held in all the district HQs of Namsai, Tirap, Longding, Anjaw, Lohit and Dibang Valley.
