Shutdown brings life to a halt in Arunachal Pradesh

Indigenous groups protest govt. decision to grant permanent resident certificate to six communities

Normal life in at least five districts of Arunachal Pradesh was affected on Thursday after 18 student and civil organisations imposed a 48-hour shutdown against the State government’s decision to grant the permanent resident certificate (PRC) to six communities not recognised as Scheduled Tribes.

These six communities — Adivasi, Deori, Gorkha, Mishing, Moran, and Sonowal Kachari — mostly inhabit Namsai and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh on the border with Assam. Some of these communities enjoy Scheduled Tribe status in Assam.

The 18 organisations have alleged that the joint high power committee (JHPC), led by Environment and Forest Minister Nabam Rebia, to look into the matter had submitted its report without proper verification of facts. The protesters have called for the report to be rectified before it is tabled in the Assembly. The groups include the All Nyishi Students’ Union, United Arunachal Indigenous People’s Forum, and All Tagin Students’ Union.

While there were reports of agitators blocking arterial roads in several places and forcing vehicles off the roads, the police and paramilitary forces prevented the situation from getting out of hand.

Superintendent of Police of Capital Complex (covering twin cities of Itanagar and Naharlagun) M. Harsha Vardhan said 27 people were arrested in connection with the bandh that had been declared illegal by the district administration.

“We received reports of sporadic stone pelting in the morning hours. We have identified the people responsible and strict action would be taken against them soon,” Mr. Vardhan said.

The communities not recognised as Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) have been demanding permanent resident certificate (PRC) as they have been living in the State for decades. The indigenous groups, however, contend that granting them PRC would be a stepping stone to recognising them as APST, which would eventually cut into their rights and privileges.

“The government must withdraw its decision to grant PRC to the non-APST groups or we will be forced to step up our agitation,” a spokesperson of a coordination committee of the 18 agitating groups said.