Shillong, Dec 20: The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI), in a letter to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, has stated that an exclusive census only on the Chakmas and Hajongs under the ultimatum of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) will be contempt of the Supreme Court.
CDFI has asked the state government to respect the absolution prohibition imposed by the apex court against eviction or removal of any Chakma/Hajong before deciding his/her citizenship application in letter and spirit.
The Chakma body was referring to the 1996 order in the National Human Rights Commission vs State of Arunachal Pradesh case.
The court had stated, “The State of Arunachal Pradesh, shall ensure that the life and personal liberty of each and every Chakma residing within the State shall be protected and any attempt to forcibly evict or drive them out of the State by organised groups, such as the AAPSU, shall be repelled, if necessary, by requisitioning the service of para-military or police force as is necessary to protect the lives and liberty of the Chakmas.”
On December 18, 2021, AAPSU gave a 15-day ultimatum to the state government of Arunachal Pradesh to conduct the illegal census of the Chakmas and Hajongs in the state to throw them out of the state.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Changlang district, Devensh Yadav, on record clarified twice that there was no special census of the Chakmas and Hajongs. If the same census is now conducted under the pressure of the AAPSU ultimatum, it shall constitute the contempt of the 1996 Supreme Court judgment…” said Suhas Chakma, founder of CDFI.
“The judgment uses the word, “SHALL”, and there is no ambiguity about the absolute prohibition against removal of the Chakmas and Hajongs before consideration of their citizenship applications,” he added.
