UAIPF activists protest against PRC to non-tribals: Arunachal

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Hundreds of activists under the banner of United Arunachal Indigenous Peoples’ Forum (UAIPF) on Thursday staged a protest rally at Indira Gandhi Park here demanding the state government to withdraw its recent announcement to grant PRC to non-tribal communities residing in Namsai and Changlang districts of the state. The Arunachal Pradesh government’s decision to grant PRCs to six non-tribal communities along with people from Gorkha community residing in both the districts had evoked strong resentments among various community based organisations (CBOs) including students’ bodies of the state.

Hundreds of activists staged the rally at Tennis Court in the park and demanded that the state government to withdraw the statements made by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein for granting PRC to non-Arunachalees residing at Lekang in Namsai district and Vijoynagar in Changlang district.

The Forum also demanded the state government to strengthen the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 for better and stronger protective measures for the welfare of the indigenous people of the state.

It also demanded for maintaining transparency in the Joint High Powered Committee by including more members from community based organisations.

The state government had constituted the committee under Environment & Forest Minister Nabam Rebia to study the issue and to submit its report to the government for further action. The committee is likely to submit the report by January next.

The Forum’s other demands include, to follow the state government’s earlier notification to ban PRC rights to non-tribals and resignation of the deputy chief minister on moral grounds.

Also read: ‘Roll back from earlier statements regarding PRC’: NESA