OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday assured a delegation of the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) that necessary steps would be taken to frame the long-pending rules for the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978, a move welcomed by indigenous faith groups in the state.
The assurance was given when an IFCSAP delegation, led by its president Emi Rumi, called on Shah at his official residence in New Delhi.
The delegation underlined the urgency of notifying the rules to enable effective implementation of the Act, which has remained largely non-operational for decades.
According to IFCSAP, the absence of notified rules has left key procedures, safeguards and enforcement mechanisms undefined, diluting the intent of the legislation.
Enacted in 1978, the Act seeks to regulate religious conversions carried out through force, inducement or fraudulent means. The organization said it has repeatedly raised the issue with successive governments, stressing the need for early action.
Welcoming the minister’s assurance, IFCSAP described the development as significant and positive for believers of indigenous faiths in Arunachal Pradesh.
It said the assurance signals a hopeful beginning and strengthens efforts to protect the state’s indigenous faiths, culture and traditional practices.
The delegation expressed gratitude to Shah for hearing their concerns and for the commitment to move the process forward.
IFCSAP said it would continue to engage with authorities to ensure the early framing of the rules and their effective implementation.
The delegation included representatives from various indigenous and cultural bodies, including Donyi Polo Charitable Trust and former IFCSAP president Katung Wahge, Donyi Polo Yelam Kebang secretary-general Dibang Tayeng, Arunachal Vikas Parishad president Techi Gubin, and former IFCSAP general secretary Tambo Tamin.
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