Itanagar, April 22: The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) has strongly opposed the implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978 (APFRA), announcing a statewide sitting dharna on April 30 to protest what it describes as an attempt to impose the Act through newly framed rules.
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| Leaders of the Arunachal Christian Forum address the media at the Arunachal Press Club, announcing a statewide dharna on April 30 against the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978 (APFRA). |
The decision was announced after the forum walked out of a meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) constituted by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh to examine draft rules for the Act. The committee meeting was held at the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.
ACF chief adviser Tarh Miri, who is also a member of the HPC, staged the walkout during the meeting, demanding that the government amend or repeal the Act rather than proceed with framing rules. According to Miri, the forum’s two key demands - expansion of the HPC for proportionate representation and repeal or modification of the Act - have not received any response from the government.
“Our long-pending demand for the repeal of the Act cannot be expected from the HPC. The expansion of the committee is the prerogative of the state government. Since the HPC is not serving our interest, we are walking out in protest,” Miri stated.
The first meeting of the HPC was held on March 19, while the second meeting took place on April 21. The next meeting is scheduled for April 30.
Later, addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club, ACF president Techi James Tara announced that the forum will organise a statewide protest on April 30 against what it termed the “forcible framing” of rules under the APFRA.
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Tara said the Christian community in the state has been demanding the repeal of the Act for nearly five decades. He alleged that the government is attempting to fast-track the rules by the end of the month through the HPC.
“We have been demanding the repeal of this Act for the past 50 years. But the government, by constituting the HPC, is now trying to forcibly impose the APFRA. We strongly protest this move,” Tara said.
He further claimed that the committee lacks balanced representation and is dominated by groups that support the Act. “The HPC is one-sided and does not have proper representation. Because of this, we have decided to boycott the committee as it serves the interest of certain groups only,” he added.
The ACF has repeatedly opposed the APFRA 1978 in the past and renewed its demand for the Act to be repealed or substantially amended. The forum has called on members and supporters across Arunachal Pradesh to participate in the planned dharna on April 30.
