Arunachal Pradesh Governor takes exception to handling of refugee issue

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Governor JP Rajkhowa has taken strong exception to the poor performance of the state's legal team on the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue and directed that the matter be reviewed and represented once again.

Rajkhowa yesterday asked the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary (Home) to immediately hire the best lawyers to take up the matter in Supreme Court, Raj Bhawan said in a communiqué today.

The governor also expressed shock as to why the previous state government had not hired a battery of eminent lawyers in the Chakma-Hajong case.

The state lost the case in SC because it did not earnestly pursue it, he said, adding that the rights of the indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh has to be protected as enshrined in the Constitution.

Rajkhowa directed the Chief Secretary to pay personal attention to the Chakma-Hajong imbroglio, the communiqué added.

In September last year, SC had passed an order asking the state government and the Centre to give permanent settlement to the Chakma-Hajong refugees in Arunachal Paradesh. The state goverment is opposing this order.