Government To Examine PRC Issue After JHPC Report

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Government on Thursday cleared the air on the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) issue, involving several non-tribal communities residing in Namsai and Changlang districts of the state.

Government Spokesman Bamang Felix in a statement clarified that the government would examine the issue only after receiving the report from the Joint High Power Committee (JHPC) constituted. He said the report would be further taken to the cabinet for appropriate decision adding that the JHPC presently is in the process of conducting consultative meetings with all stakeholders in various locations in the state. The state government had constituted the JHPC headed by Environment and Forest Minister Nabam Rebia with members from student organizations, community-based organizations, and community-based student organizations, senior ministers, MP, Home Commissioner and Joint Secretary (Home).

“In no given point of time will the government take a decision which will be against the interest of the indigenous people and the state which has been amply reiterated by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein in various forums and occasions,” the spokesman said. “The government will ensure that any decision will be arrived at only on the recommendation of JHPC and PRC if so issued will be done without compromising on any of the indigenous rights of the people of the state,” he added.

The announcement made by Khandu and Mein recently to grant PRC to non-tribal communities had evoked widespread reaction among various students’ bodies and community-based organisations in the state who demanded immediate rollback of the decision.

Also Read: Arunachal News