All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union hails decision to amend ST Bill

A Correspondent

ITANAGAR: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) welcomed the recent decision of the Union Cabinet which approved to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2018 for certain amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 so as to modify the list of the Scheduled Tribes (ST’s) of Arunachal Pradesh.

AAPSU in a press statement said that, the amendment if duly approved will be beneficial especially for the numerous indigenous tribes of Eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh viz the Nocte, Tutsa, Tangsa, Wangcho etc who were until today classified under the vague and ambiguous terminology of “Any Other Naga Tribes”. Such improper classifications of these tribes were a historical blunder which resulted in numerous hardships and a sort of identity crisis for them, the union said.

The Union also acknowledged the efforts put in by the MP Kiren Rijiju and Ninong Ering and all those people who were behind the bill for successfully pursuing the matter with the Union Government.

“The said bill will also correct the names of other tribes whose names were wrongly recorded in the earlier ST Order and will provide for their classification,” it added.

Further, AAPSU has also at the same time decided to strongly support the said amendment and also requests members of both the houses of the Parliament to ensure support to the Bill to ensure its smooth passage.

This is also to mention that this was a long pending demands of the AAPSU. Numerous representations in this regards have been previously submitted to the Union Home Ministry including a separate memorandum which was submitted to the President of India Dr. Ram Nath Kovind when he visited Arunachal Pradesh last.

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