Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR : The Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee (ASTBAC) on Wednesday urged Law Minister Kento Jini to convene a meeting of the high-power committee constituted to examine issues relating to non-APST lineage claims, protection of indigenous rights and related matters, or issue an order scheduling the meeting at the earliest.
Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here, ASTBAC chairman Sol Dodum expressed concern over the delay in convening the committee’s meeting, stating that nearly two months have passed since the state government constituted the high-power committees, but no meeting has been called by the committee headed by Jini.
Dodum informed that ASTBAC is scheduled to hold its second meeting on the issue on August 11 and urged the law minister to convene the committee meeting without further delay.
Expressing disappointment over the inaction, Dodum said that if the meeting is not convened soon, the government should appoint a competent person to head the committee.
He further informed that ASTBAC members have been carrying out groundwork across various districts and that surveys in Lohit, Namsai and Lower Dibang Valley districts, including Roing, have already been completed.
Dodum also stated that the committee has obtained documents relating to the Nepal-India agreement on the settlement of Nepalis in India, while documents concerning the settlement of Tibetan and Chakma-Hajong communities are yet to be received.
He further claimed that thousands of non-APST voters have been deleted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
Earlier, the state government had constituted four high-power committees following consultative meetings with ASTBAC, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) and various indigenous organisations to address issues related to APST certificate verification, non-APST lineage claims, illegal infiltration and strengthening of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime.
Among the committees, one headed by Law Minister Kento Jini was tasked with examining issues relating to non-APST lineage claims and protection of indigenous rights.
Another panel headed by Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona was constituted to examine the re-verification of APST certificates and related matters.
To strengthen the ILP regime, the government constituted a committee headed by Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, while another committee headed by Environment and Forests Minister Wangki Lowang was formed to examine issues related to infiltration and illegal immigrants, as per an official order.
