Guwahati: The Prabajan Virodhi Manch (PVM), a forum dedicated to addressing concerns related to illegal immigration, has voiced apprehension following Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s recent statement regarding the settlement of Arunachal Pradesh’s Chakmas and Hajongs in Assam after the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Expressing their concerns, the PVM highlighted the potential implications of such a development for Assam districts bordering Arunachal Pradesh, including Charaideo, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, and Udalguri.
In a statement on Monday, PVM convenor Upamanyu Hazarika said, “So far infiltration has happened from the districts bordering Bangladesh, for which reason the border districts of Dhubri, Barpeta, Barak Valley districts and Nagaon (for historical reasons) have a majority of Bangladeshi-origin persons. But a resettlement is now going to happen from the Arunachal side, and the empty lands/ forests in the districts bordering Arunachal Pradesh will be the first target.”
“Needless to say, the demographic balance in these areas having small close knit indigenous communities will be altered like lower Assam,” Hazarika, who is also a Supreme Court advocate, said.
In this regard, the convener of PVM, which is a forum against illegal immigrants, cited the case of Naoboisa in Lakhimpur district, which saw a huge influx of Bangladeshi Muslims from Arunachal Pradesh, who are in majority in that area, with a decisive say in the electoral outcome there.
“The approach of the state BJP under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma in its approach to migrants is ‘secular’. Though the professed stand of the BJP, reflected in the CAA is in favour of the minority religions of Bangladesh, primarily Hindus and the Chakmas being Buddhists, however, Sarma has expanded the benefits to migrant Muslims,” Hazarika said.
“Last month, the chief minister urged the Muslim migrants to adopt indigenous habits and become indigenous. Besides, he also constituted a development council for Muslim fishermen from Bangladesh and whose leaders are openly praising Sarma. The focus of the BJP under Sarma is to go for the migrant Muslim support, extend assurances of security. Now, even the NRC (National Register of Citizens) is no longer on the election manifesto of the BJP,” he said.
The PVM convenor further observed that the “biggest tragedy of indigenous communities in Assam is that their own leaders do not protect the community’s interests and their identity, unlike the leaders in the other Northeastern states.”
“The Chakmas and the Hajongs have been settled in Arunachal Pradesh since 1964, but till date have not been given permanent resident status as it would upset the delicate demographic balance, by adding 10 percent to the population of 12 indigenous tribes. In spite of the Supreme Court judgment of 1998 giving protection to the Chakmas and Hajongs, the state and its leadership fiercely protected the interests of small tribes,” Hazarika pointed out.
“Assam also has over 100 small ethnic communities and the leaders over here find it more expedient to cultivate the migrant vote bank regardless of the consequences for their own communities,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Opposition Congress in Assam slammed the BJP-led government in the state while referring to the Union minister’s statement about discussions to relocate Chakma and Hajong refugees from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam after implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Alleging that a “dangerous conspiracy” was being hatched against the state, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah said the statement, which was inadvertently disclosed in a media conference by Rijiju, who is a significant minister in the BJP-led government at the Centre, indicated that “the Assam government was now gearing up to take the burden and responsibility of resettling 5 lakh Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state.”
“Rijiju had stated that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was a boon for Arunachal Pradesh, which would not accept any refugees from neighbouring countries,” the state Congress chief told reporters, while campaigning for the party’s candidate for the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday.
The Union minister had, while addressing the media in Itanagar on Monday, said that the Chakma-Hajong refugees were “staying as guests in Arunachal” and were therefore not entitled to get a permanent resident certificate (PRC) of citizenship in that state.
Borah further stated that the statement made by the Union minister in the BJP-led government would have a bearing on the second and third phase elections in the state on April 26 and May 7 respectively.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has denied any such talks on relocation of Chakma and Hajong refugees from the neighbouring state with central authorities.
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“The central government has not engaged in any talks with Assam on the relocation of Chakma and Hajong refugees from Arunachal Pradesh to the state,” Sarma had reportedly claimed on Tuesday, while informing that no land was available in Assam for resettling the refugees.
Rijiju, who is an MP from Arunachal, had earlier stated that Chakma and Hajong refugees should be resettled outside Arunachal Pradesh before they are eligible for Indian citizenship under CAA.
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