PPA voices concern over Permanent Resident Certificate issue

The Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) Friday charged he ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in the state with not being serious on the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) issue which it alleged will jeopardise the existence of the indigenous tribal population.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chown Mein had in recent times announced to grant PRC to six non-Arunachalee communities residing in the state, as a new year gift which, had sparked wide protest in the state.

"PPA is clear in its stand that it will not accept granting PRC to non-Arunachalees residing in the state at any cost," PPA Chairman Kamen Ringu told reporters here.

Ringu, who is also a member of the Joint High Power Committee, constituted by the state government under Environment & Forest Minister Nabam Rebia to study the issue and to submit its recommendations to the cabinet, informed that he had visited all the places and was surprised to see that non-Arunachalee voters have outnumbered indigenous voters in four places.

The committee is likely to submit its report within a few days so that it could be tabled in the forthcoming assembly session slated from February 21.

The person (s) at the helm of affairs has played politics by assuring to the communities to grant PRC. Though Arunachal is protected under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873 and Chin Hill Regulation Act of 1896, granting PRC to non-Arunachalee will have a negative impact, Ringu pointed out.

He demanded that both the Acts should not be amended at any cost to grant PRC to non-Arunachalees otherwise, as it would open flood gates for huge influx to this tribal dominated state.

The PPA Chairman lamented that the Centre had not granted special provision under Article 371 (A) to protect the states people like Nagaland and added that at the cost of security reasons , the state cannot remain deprived from its tribal rights.

Even after attaining statehood, Arunachal Pradesh is deprived of its tribal rights and PPA, being the lone regional political party of the state, will fight to get its due, party president Kahfa Bengia said.

The party also opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill saying that the controversial bill would make Arunachal another Tripura where the indigenous population had turned into minority.