Centre likely to approach Supreme Court to protect rights of Arunachalis

NEW DELHI: The Centre is likely to approach the Supreme Court seeking protection of the rights of the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh after the apex court ordered conferring citizenships to Chakma and Hajong refugees.

At a high-level meeting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the situation arising in Arunachal Pradesh after the September 17 order of the Supreme Court granting Indian citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state.

Sources said the meeting decided to make necessary appeal in the Supreme Court to ensure that constitutional and indigenous rights of the people of Arunachal Pradesh are protected.

It was also decided that Home Ministry would take necessary steps to ensure providing proper status to the Chakmas and Hajongs but without the infringement on rights of the people of the state and to honour the sentiments of the people.

Necessary inputs would also be obtained from the state government while making an appeal in the apex court, sources said.

The Supreme Court on September 17 had directed the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh government to grant citizenship within three months to Chakma and Hajong tribals who had migrated from Bangladesh, saying they cannot be discriminated in any manner.

"It is well known that the Chakmas and Hajongs were displaced from the area which became part of East Pakistan (now in Bangladesh) on construction of Kaptai Dam and were allowed to be rehabilitated under the decision of the Government of India.

"They could not be discriminated against in any manner pending formal conferment of rights of citizenship. Their status also stands duly acknowledged in the guidelines of the Election Commission of India," a bench of Justices Anil R Dave and Adarsh K Goel had said.

The apex court said that Chakmas have a right to be granted citizenship and it is even "recognised by judicial decisions that they cannot be required to obtain any Inner Line permit as they are settled in Arunachal Pradesh."

Various civil societies in Arunachal Pradesh are upset with the Supreme Court ruling.