Move to check children of tribal-nontribal marriages getting

The Arunachal Pradesh government on Wednesday informed the assembly that it has set up two committees to look into the issue of children of tribal mothers married to non-tribals getting ST certificates by using only their mothers maiden name.

The government will decide on the matter after receiving recommendations of the committees, Social Justice Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA) Minister Alo Libang said.

As soon as the government receives the recommendations, we will act accordingly for the welfare of the tribal communities of the state, Libang, who is also the chairman of one of the committees, said.

Admitting that the issue is serious, the minister assured the members that their suggestions would be considered.

Deputy Speaker Tesam Pongte, who was in the chair, hoped that the issue would be brought in the next session in the form of a Bill.

The issue was raised in the assembly by BJP MLA Nyamar Karbak. He pointed out that children of tribal women and non- tribal men easily get ST certificates and they are enjoying all benefits provided to the tribal communities, including jobs in government sector.

Therefore the genuine tribal people are being deprived, Karbak said.

Referring to a law in Meghalaya, where Khasi women marrying non-Khasi would lose her ST status, Karbak said that the government should ponder over the matter seriously and should evolve a mechanism to check it.

Otherwise the indigenous tribal population of the state, in future, would be outnumbered like the indigenous tribals of Tripura.

NPP member Tarin Dakpe suggested for compulsory marriage registration so that such cases could be recorded, while BJP MLA Lokam Tassar suggested that a mechanism should be evolved to restrict the issuance of ST certificates to such children.

JD (U) member Hayeng Mangfi suggested that an assembly committee should be constituted to study the issue so that it could be brought as a legislation in the next session of the assembly, while Tanpho Wangnaw of the BJP urged the government to issue directives to the deputy commissioners of the districts so that they do not issue ST certificates to such children.

Wangnaw also urged the gaon burhas and panchayat leaders not to recommend such children for getting ST certificates.