Chakma student body demands Arunachal CM Pema Khandu to reject AAPSU’s ultimatum

The Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students Union (APCSU) slammed the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) for registering false allegations against APCSU of issuing residential proof certificates (RPC) to over 500 Chakmas and Hajongs in the Diyun administrative division.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union on Monday, served a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve the Chakma-Hajong issue along with the allegations that the Chakma student body was engaged in the practice of issuing certificates to illegal migrants under the knowledge of the Changlang DC and executed by the office of the Diyiun EAC, as reported. 

Calling all the allegations raised by AAPSU as baseless, the Chakma Students' Body requested the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, to reject AAPSU’s ultimatum.

It also urged the Chief Minister to extend full support to Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) of Diyun Mr. S Roy and Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Changlang, Mr. Sunny Singh from the onslaught of the AAPSU while discharging official responsibilities regarding the Chakmas and Hajongs of the State.

Yesterday, the AAPSU sought certain actions against a number of persons and officials relating to the Chakmas and Hajongs after visiting and inspecting the records of the EAC office at Diyun and gave 15 days ultimatum to the Chief Minister to take the actions.

“Nowhere in India can a students’ organisation or, for that matter, any non-state entity can visit the offices of the state government or the Government of India and videograph the meetings with the officials as claimed by the AAPSU leaders." This is a blot on Arunachal Pradesh. The State government of Arunachal Pradesh should therefore direct the EAC of Diyun and DC of Changlang to initiate necessary legal proceedings if there were any instance of illegal trespass and/or obstruction in the discharge of official duties by the EAC, Diyun and his staff.”- stated Mr Rup Singh Chakma, President of the APCSU.

Countering the AAPSU leaders’ statement on protecting their motherland Arunachal Pradesh, Rup Singh Chakma further stated, “The Chakmas and Hajongs are born and brought up in Arunachal Pradesh and it is their motherland too. The Chakmas and Hajongs are citizens of India recognised by the various judgments of the constitutional courts and they have been casting their votes. The time has come for the AAPSU to accept the reality and bring an end to discrimination against the Chakmas and Hajongs.”

The Chakma and Hajong communities have been residing in Arunachal Pradesh like immigrants, who are considered stateless, and continue to fight for their identity in the Indian Union. 

The Indian government settled the Chakma and the Hajong between 1964 and 1969,  in Arunachal Pradesh. The population was roughly 5,000 when it first began, but it is now estimated to be close to one lakh. The Chakmas are predominantly Buddhists, but Hajongs practise a hybrid of Hinduism and animism. The two settlements are in a hazardous situation because indigenous communities want the authorities to remove them.

Originally, Chakmas and Hajongs, members of the Tibeto-Mongoloid race, lived in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of what was now East Pakistan. When their land was submerged by the Kaptai dam project, they had to leave. In East Pakistan, these people also experienced religious discrimination (now Bangladesh). They arrived in India via Assam's Lushai Hills district during the time (now Mizoram).

The AAPSU has been demanding the government resettle the people of Chakma and Hajong community somewhere else. The student body of Arunachal Pradesh had even launched mass movements against the granting of citizenship to the Chakma-Hajong people.