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Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday, led a large meeting to decide whether to grant citizenship to tens of thousands of Chakma and Hajong refugees. The Chakma and Hajong refugees came from the erstwhile East Pakistan five decades ago and currently living in camps in the Northeast.
The move came following a 2015 Supreme Court order, which directed the central government to grant citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees, mostly staying in Arunachal Pradesh.
Rajnath Singh discussed the issue with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Pema Khandu has been opposing granting of citizenship to the refugees saying it would change the demography of the state.
Suggesting a workable solution, the central government has proposed that Chakma and Hajong refugees will not be given rights enjoyed by Scheduled Tribes, including land ownership, in Arunachal Pradesh. The refugees, however, could be given the Inner Line permits, which is required for non-locals in Arunachal Pradesh, allowing them to travel and work.
The Chakmas and Hajongs, who do not possess citizenship and land rights in india, are the original residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts in the erstwhile East Pakistan. They left their homeland when it was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s.
The Chakmas, who are Buddhists, and Hajongs, who are Hindus, also allegedly faced religious persecution and entered India through the then Lushai Hills district of Assam (now Mizoram). Majority of them were moved by the Indian government to the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which is now Arunachal Pradesh.
In 2015, the Centre was directed by the Supreme Court to confer citizenship to these refugees. The Arunachal Pradesh government then approached the apex court to review its order but in vain. After the Supreme Court’s rejection, both the central and state governments have started consultations to find a solution to the issue.
The move came amidst a row over the Centre’s plan to deport Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to India escaping persecution in Myanmar.
Earlier, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had said the Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported.
Meanwhile, India’s decision to deport nearly 40,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled violence in Myanmar has triggered criticism, including at the United Nation's top human rights body, wherein UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.
http://www.republicworld.com/s/7153/india-set-to-grant-citizenship-to-chakma-refugees
The move came following a 2015 Supreme Court order, which directed the central government to grant citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees, mostly staying in Arunachal Pradesh.
Rajnath Singh discussed the issue with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Pema Khandu has been opposing granting of citizenship to the refugees saying it would change the demography of the state.
Suggesting a workable solution, the central government has proposed that Chakma and Hajong refugees will not be given rights enjoyed by Scheduled Tribes, including land ownership, in Arunachal Pradesh. The refugees, however, could be given the Inner Line permits, which is required for non-locals in Arunachal Pradesh, allowing them to travel and work.
The Chakmas and Hajongs, who do not possess citizenship and land rights in india, are the original residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts in the erstwhile East Pakistan. They left their homeland when it was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s.
The Chakmas, who are Buddhists, and Hajongs, who are Hindus, also allegedly faced religious persecution and entered India through the then Lushai Hills district of Assam (now Mizoram). Majority of them were moved by the Indian government to the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which is now Arunachal Pradesh.
In 2015, the Centre was directed by the Supreme Court to confer citizenship to these refugees. The Arunachal Pradesh government then approached the apex court to review its order but in vain. After the Supreme Court’s rejection, both the central and state governments have started consultations to find a solution to the issue.
The move came amidst a row over the Centre’s plan to deport Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to India escaping persecution in Myanmar.
Earlier, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had said the Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported.
Meanwhile, India’s decision to deport nearly 40,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled violence in Myanmar has triggered criticism, including at the United Nation's top human rights body, wherein UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.
http://www.republicworld.com/s/7153/india-set-to-grant-citizenship-to-chakma-refugees
