Arunachal Congress warns of socio-economic tsunami if new Tibetan settlements are created in state

The Congress Party in Arunachal Pradesh has said that it will soon call on Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama, to apprise him about what it termed the Centre's flawed Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy (TRP), announced in 2014.

The president of the state Congress unit, Takam Sanjoy, said that Arunachal Pradesh being a predominately tribal state and protected by constitutional safeguards such as the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 (ILP) and the Chin Hills Regulation, 1896, cannot be equated with Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, New Delhi and Uttarakhand, which have decided to adopt the TRP policy.

He told ANI that the above two Acts do not permit Indians to enter this state or have any rights on land acquisition or to conduct businesses, and warned of a socio-economic tsunami should the TRP be implemented.

Cautioning the state government not to forget the ordeal of Chakma-Hajong refugees, he warned that the implementation of the TRP adopted by the BJP-led state government might have a negative fallout on the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh, who are protected by numerous constitutional provisions.

"The modus operandi followed to draft the policy by the Centre was not in consultation with any state government as claimed recently by Chief Minister Pema Khandu. It is intriguing that Khandu claimed this on behalf of the Centre, while Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said it was going ahead with the implementation of policy on the recommendation of the state government," Sanjoy said.

Sanjoy, a former Lok Sabha member, produced the draft policy,MOS/Home (R)/509026 /2015/116 issue on May 12, 2015 as proof.

"The decision to adopt the TRP is nothing but whimsical, which if implemented, would be the harbinger of a new social disorder across the state," Sanjoy warned, adding there are already three temporary Tibetan settlement areas at Tenjing Gaon, Tezu and Miao in West Kameng, Lohit and Changlang district respectively.

He said that when the lease period expires, the Arunachal Pradesh Government can through a policy decision extend the lease for further period.

He added that there is absolutely no question of allowing new settlements in any part of Arunachal as available cultivable lands are limited even for its growing indigenous population.

"Any issue relating to the Chakma-Hajong, Tibetans or Bangladeshi should be viewed seriously as this state located atop the Himalayas has turned into a most volatile hot spot of South East Asia," Sanjoy said, adding that mishandling may create internal social disturbance leading to an external Tsunami for India.

He claimed that a security report has suggested that refugee cards are being misused either by them or other forces while election cards are being issued to Chakma-Hajong refugees on the basis of their camp address, which is in total violation of the Constitution, he said.