Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 18 Oct: Thousands of Indigenous faiths’ believers on Saturday took out a peaceful march themed ‘Chalo Itanagar’, organized by the Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP), demanding immediate framing and implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) 1978.
Indigenous faiths’ believers from Tawang to Longding joined the march, as the IFCSAP renewed its longstanding demand for immediate framing of rules and implementation of the APFRA.
The APFRA has been a focal point for both indigenous faiths’ believers and the Christian community ever since the Act was enacted in 1978. The Christians say that the Act is against the principles of secularism enshrined in the Indian Constitution, while the IFCSAP argues that the APFRA is a protective legislation to protect the indigenous faiths, cultures, customs and identities. It says that the Act is not against any religion but safeguards all religions.
“Slogan of ‘APFRA 1978: Ab tak kiyun nahi? Kab tak?’ (Why not till now? Till when?) was voiced by the participants in the march. The response was overwhelming, as participants turned out more than expected. We are satisfied with the numbers,” said IFCSAP president Dr Emi Rumi.
“We would like to sit together and discuss with the Arunachal Christian Forum. Perhaps they haven’t minutely observed. They interpret that the Act is against Article 25. The APFRA is not against any religion; it is against attempted conversion through fraudulent means,” Dr Rumi said.
He informed that the IFCSAP will be submitting a representation to the government for immediate framing of rules and implementation of the APFRA.
Addressing the gathering, former IFCSAP general secretary Tambo Tamin highlighted the alarming decrease in the number of indigenous faiths’ believers as per the 2011 census.
Tamin also questioned the state government’s “delaying tactics in framing the rules of the APFRA, despite being directed by the high court on 30 September, 2025.”
“The court never gave direction to constitute a high-power committee. The high-power committee itself is defective and contradicts itself. A high-power committee is not required,” said Tamin.
He called for boycotting the panchayat election if the government fails to frame rules and implement the APFRA before the panchayat election.
