Is Tibetan rehabilitation policy (TRP) really a trouble to Arunachal Pradesh? This is a very strong question to be raised owing to the strong criticism pointed out by several groups in the state against the state government’s decision to implement the Central Government of India’s Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy, 2014 in the state. Surprisingly, these criticism draws a conclusion that implementing the centralized policy for Tibetan refugees in India would deteriorate the welfare of the indigenous people of the state.
In the latest series of criticism, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief produced from the armory that implementing TRP would open another flood gate to the state! Referring to the Chakma-Hajong turmoil, he said that implementing the TRP would lead to the eruption of volcano.
“Thus, the Tibetans should be allowed to remain in their settlements ‘as is where is’ basis with facilities to be granted only by the Centre, not by the State government. Any trading license should not be granted to them except the way others Indians are given on power of attorney basis on humanitarian ground,” he advocated.
While the protesting groups claimed that implementing the centralized policy for Tibetan refugees would hurt the livelihood of the indigenous people of the state, they also said that Arunachal Pradesh can not be equated to other states like Himachal, Uttarakhand and Karnataka as Arunachal is protected by constitutional safeguards making any Indian policy not mandatory for the state.
“The 2016-2017 Annual Report of the Ministry of Home Affairs states that as on 31.03.2013, there were 7,530 Tibetan refugees in Arunachal Pradesh. The Tibetan refugees came in 1959 and after 54 years, their population had increased to 7,530.” Suhas Chakma brings out the statistical point of the Tibetan refugees.
“Can 7,530 Tibetan refugees pose a threat to the livelihood of 1.4 million (1,383,727 persons) people of Arunachal Pradesh? That the Tibetan refugees pose any threat either to demography or livelihood of indigenous peoples is utter non-sense. Those who oppose Tibetan refugees in Arunachal Pradesh obviously seek to keep the refugees and their descendants, who can legally claim as citizens of India, under slave-like situation.” added the writer in the aPolitical.
Leave a Reply