The All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) and the All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) on Monday have urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to book those individuals or groups who are allegedly using threats to force the joint high power committee (JHPC) to issue permanent resident certificates (PRCs) to non-APSTs before 7 January, 2019, under appropriate sections of the law.
The ANSU said it would not tolerate any such activity and do its best to ‘thwart such evil design’.
“As per the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, Govt Order No ST-2/94, Dated 09/02/1994, Office Memorandum No LR-31/84, dated 19/12/1988 and Notification No LR-31/84 (Pt), Dated 16/03/1999, no land possession certificate/permanent resident certificate can be granted to non-APSTs who are non-natives/non-indigenous. Any administrative order or certificate or any other documents issued in contravention of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, is liable to cancellation,” a statement issued by ANSU vice president Tana Sushil on Monday had stated.
The statement further read that ‘as per the BEFR, 1873, and other protective laws, the non-APSTs settled in different districts of Arunachal Pradesh cannot be treated as permanent residents as they are only ordinary residents of Arunachal Pradesh.’
He alleged that some groups were openly threatening the JHPC to issue PRCs to non-APSTs by 7 January or face consequences.
The All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) has also demanded that the state government immediately book the individuals and groups ‘who are politicizing the PRC issue for their personal political interest and openly threatening the JHPC and the state government to grant PRCs by 7 January, 2019’.
In a release the APPDSU said some groups of people were issuing the deadline with the support of Assam-based and non-APST organizations of Namsai, Changlang and Lohit districts and resorting to frequent blockade of highways and bandhs in Namsai district.
The union urged the state government to book them under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2014, and the highway laws.