Arunachal Pradesh: Chakma and Hajong delegation tells MHA – only 54,500 Chakmas and Hajongs in the State while only 6,087 are seeking citizenship
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Dhana Kumar, The aPolitical |
18/09/2017
Today a delegation of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh consisting of the General Secretary of the Committee for Citizenship Rights of Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCHAP) Mr Santosh Chakma and President of Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students’ Union (APCSU) Mr Tejang Chakma met Shri Satyender Garg, Joint Secretary (North East) in the Ministry of Home Affairs requesting him to clarify on the population of the Chakmas and Hajongs in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The meeting took place in the light of the charged atmosphere created by the mis-reporting in the media that the Chakma population has increased from 5,000 to 100,000 and that the Centre has decided to grant citizenship to over 1,00,000 Chakmas and Hajongs. On 13 September, a High-Level meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi which was attended by Shri Kiren Rijiju, MoS for Home, Shri Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor. As per media reports, the Centre decided to grant citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs who migrated from East Pakistan in 1964-69.
However, even before the High-Level meeting took place, the media started reporting that as per an unnamed senior official in the Ministry of Home Affairs the current population of Chakmas and Hajongs increased from 5,000 to nearly 100,000 which provoked the local ethnic communities of Arunachal Pradesh.
Countering this false report, the Chakma and delegation in a memorandum submitted to Mr Garg stated, “That about 5,000 Chakmas had migrated and their total population of the Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh and their population increased to nearly 1 lakh at present is absolutely false. As per records of the Home Ministry, a total of 14,888 Chakmas/Hajongs were settled in Arunachal Pradesh during 1964-69. As per 2011 Census, their total population is only 47,471 persons. As per our own survey, the total population of Chakmas and Hajongs is about 54,500.”
The CCRCHAP further stated that the number of Chakmas and Hajongs who were to be granted citizenship as per the Supreme Court judgment was only 6,087 and not over 1,00,000.
“Citizenship is to be conferred only to those Chakmas and Hajongs who migrated during 1964-69 while the rest 48,116 Chakmas and Hajongs are already citizens by birth under Section 3(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act, 1955”, the Chakma and Hajong leaders clarified to Shri Garg.
The exaggeration of the population of the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh has caused “volatile situation” in the State and there are serious apprehension of security of the Chakmas and Hajongs residing Papum Pare, Namsai and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has announced a State Bandh tomorrow in protest against the Centre’s decision to grant citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs.
The CCRCHAP and the APCSU called for peace and sought deployment of adequate security forces to prevent physical attacks on Chakmas and Hajongs in the State.
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