AAPSU hails Union Cabinet decision to modify Arunachal ST list

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) Friday lauded the union cabinet's decision to introduce a bill in Parliament to modify the list of scheduled tribes of the state.

The cabinet on Wednesday approved introduction of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2018, in Parliament for certain amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, to modify the list of STs of Arunachal Pradesh.

"The amendment if duly approved will be beneficial, especially for the numerous indigenous tribes of eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh who were until today classified under the vague and ambiguous terminology of 'Any Other Naga Tribes'," AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said in a statement here.

The bill proposes deletion of the Abor tribe from the state's ST list "as it is the same as Adi" tribe. As there is no tribe called "Khampti", the bill replaces it with "Tai Khamti" on the list.

The state government has also wrote to the Centre to amend the list of STs of the state to the Centre to do away with the category "any Naga" tribe and replace it with the names of the tribes - Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho.

Now, the Bill seeks inclusion of the four tribes in lieu of "Any Naga Tribes".

"Such improper classification of these tribes was a historical blunder which resulted in numerous hardships and a sort of identity crisis for them," Dai said.

Numerous representations in this regard have been submitted to the union home ministry and one to President Ram Nath Kovind when he visited Arunachal Pradesh, he said.

The Bill also seeks to include the "Monpa, Memba, Sartang, Sajolong in lieu of the Momba" tribe.

It proposes inclusion of Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi), Idu (Mishmi) and Taraon (Digaru Mishmi) tribes in the list.

"This was one of the long-pending demands of the AAPSU," Dai added.