ITANAGAR, Sept 21 - The All Arunachal Pradesh Students� Union (AAPSU) has vehemently opposed the Supreme Court�s judgement to confer citizenship to the Chakmas and Hajongs settled in Arunachal Pradesh.
Unhappy over the apex court�s verdict, the students� organisation of the State has decided to take out a protest rally in the State capital Itanagar on September 28 next.
Describing the SC judgement as �arbitrary� and aimed at �hurting the sentiments of the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh�, AAPSU said that it would fight tooth and nail against the verdict.
AAPSU, which has been fighting the battle for resolving the vexed refugee issue over the years, added that it wants all the stakeholders of the State cutting across party line to be openly vocal about �this uncalled for and unacceptable verdict�. Any political party, political leader(s), community, organisation or individual supporting the verdict �shall be deemed to be anti-Arunachal�, it warned.
�When our fellow citizens from other States are not allowed to inherit property or settle here (in Arunachal), then how can we allow illegal migrants from another country to have citizenship right in our State?�
�We have to use our might; we need the unstinted support of the people, support of the Government and the elected representatives in our quest for not making our State a second Tripura, where the local indigenous people are in a minority,� AAPSU president Kamta Lapung and general secretary Biru Nasi said in a joint statement here.
AAPSU demanded of the Chief Minister to file a �review petition� challenging the judgement of the Supreme Court. The apex court had in its verdict directed the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh Govt to grant citizenship within three months to Chakma and Hajong tribals who had migrated from Bangladesh in 1964-69, saying they cannot be discriminated against in any manner.
