Arunachal CM convenes all-party meeting on Chakma-Hajong issue

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today convened an all-party meet here to discuss the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue in the backdrop of the recent Supreme Court judgment with regard to grant of Indian citizenship to Chakmas and Hajongs and their permanent settlement in the state.

The state government, with advice and help from legal experts, would make preparations to file a review petition objecting to the permanent settlement of Chakma and Hajongs in the state and their exclusion from the provisions of the Inner Line Permit, a press release issued by the Chief Minister's office said.

The state government would wait for a correspondence from the Union Home Ministry with regard to the Supreme Court judgment of September 17 and take necessary action as deemed fit in interest of the state and its people, the meeting resolved.

The all-party meet unanimously authorised the state government to take legal and necessary steps with regard to the apex court judgment to safeguard the welfare and interest of the indigenous tribes of the state.

The release said the state government and all political parties of the state are not against the grant of Indian citizenship to Chakmas and Hajongs but objects to their permanent settlement in Arunachal Pradesh and their exclusion from the ILP provisions, the meeting observed.

The meeting said this would be in contradiction to in-force Acts and Regulations like the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, the Scheduled District Act, 1874, the Assam Frontier Tract Regulation, 1880, the Assam Frontier Forest Regulation, 1891, the Chin Hills Regulations, 1896 and the Assam Frontier (Administration & Justice) Regulation, 1945 (1 of 1945).

All the parties appealed to the people not to spread hatred and misconception or target any individual or community particularly through social media.