Assam evictions spark fears of influx: Arunachal indigenous bodies warn of rising illegal immigrants

The Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) has voiced serious concern over a potential rise in illegal immigrants entering the state following ongoing eviction drives in neighbouring Assam. 

Addressing a press conference in Itanagar, APIYO President Taro Sonam Liyak issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to identify and deport illegal immigrants and dismantle unauthorised religious structures allegedly constructed without official sanction.

Liyak warned that Arunachal Pradesh, being a sensitive border state sharing international boundaries with China and Bhutan, and a long interstate boundary with Assam, faces significant demographic threats due to unchecked migration. He alleged that many illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were moving into tribal-dominated areas of Arunachal in the aftermath of eviction operations in Assam.

Condemning the recent blast in Delhi, Liyak urged the state government to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system more strictly, as mandated under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act of 1873, to safeguard the state’s indigenous demography. “Arunachal Pradesh is a tribal-majority state with a population of less than 10 lakh. Any influx of outsiders poses a direct threat to our identity, culture, and security,” he said.

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The Indigenous body demanded the immediate dismantling of unauthorised constructions, including illegal madrasas and mosques in the capital region, and called for a ban on unregulated weekly markets allegedly operated by illegal migrants in Hollongi, Doimukh, and nearby areas. These markets, Liyak said, were undermining the livelihoods of local tribal traders.

Citing internal data, APIYO claimed that in the Nirjuli-Naharlagun belt alone, there are around 13,730 Muslim residents, of whom at least 20 per cent are allegedly Bangladeshi immigrants. The group also alleged that only one out of a dozen mosques in the area has the requisite legal approval.

Clarifying his stand, Liyak emphasised that the organisation’s movement was not directed against any religious community but aimed at preventing illegal activities and preserving the rights of the indigenous people of Arunachal Pradesh. “Our protest is against unlawful settlement and demographic imbalance, not faith or community,” he stated, urging youths, community-based organisations, and political groups to unite in support of the cause.

APIYO has a history of activism on indigenous rights issues and had earlier organised a rally in October to demand stronger enforcement of land and migration regulations amid concerns over rapid urbanisation and rising migrant populations in the state.

The organisation has warned of statewide demonstrations if the government fails to respond within the seven-day deadline, asserting that the protection of Arunachal’s tribal identity and demographic integrity must remain a top administrative priority.