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September 20, 2017

Who are Chakmas and Hajong people? And why do Arunachalis’ are against their absolute citizenship? 

 

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IAS Parliament 7 years

KEY POINTS

Chakmas and Hajongs

·        Chakmas and Hajongs were originally residents of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)..

·        They fled in to India, when their land was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960’s.

·        The Chakmas, who are Buddhist, and Hajongs, who are Hindus, also faced religious persecution in East Pakistan

·        The GOI moved a majority of Chakmas and Hajongs to the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) i.e Arunachal Pradesh.

·        Some stay in other North Eastern States too. For Chakma’s it is Assam and for Hajong’s it is Assam and Meghalaya that offers tribal status.

·        At present, they do not posses citizenship and land rights, but are provided basic amenities by the state government.

·        GOI is contemplating to grant them Citizenship status, as most of these currently living tribes were born in India, satisfying Section 5(1) (a) of Citizenship Act, 1955.

·        The Supreme Court’s judgment asking the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh to immediately confer citizenship on the Chakma and Hajong refugees who have been living in the frontier state for nearly half a century.

Arunachalis’ perspective

·        Granting absolute citizenship including land rights to these refugees will-

·        Dilute the constitutional safeguards and special rights for the indigenous ethnic communities.

·        Affect the demographic structure of the state, as there is a steady growth in chakma population which will outnumber the ethnic tribes.

·        Pose a threat to their identity and culture.

·        Stretch its already limited resources.

Middle ground

GOI will have to find a middle ground, so that the Supreme Court order is honoured, the local people’s rights are not infringed and the human rights of the Chakmas and Hajongs are protected.

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