“What Prem Khandu began, Pema Khandu should finish”: Indigenous affairs council member Er. Katung Wahge

Arunachal Pradesh’s long-dormant Freedom of Religion Act, enacted in 1978, has once again become a subject of political and social debate. The law, first introduced under Chief Minister Prem Khandu Thungon, is now being urged for full implementation by indigenous organisations — with many calling on the current chief minister, Pema Khandu, to “conclude what Prem Khandu started.”

 

During a media interaction ahead of the Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) rally scheduled in Itanagar on October 18, Er. Katung Wahge, a member of the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Affairs Council, said the state government must “finish what Prem Khandu began in 1978” by enforcing the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA).

 

Dr Emi Rumi clarified that the Act “is not against any religion” but is meant to “protect all religions” and preserve the indigenous culture of the state. The law seeks to prevent religious conversions carried out through “force, inducement or fraudulent means,” and aims to protect the cultural heritage and identity of Arunachal Pradesh’s native communities.

 

Former Chief Minister’s advisor Tai Tagak also addressed speculation about political involvement, asserting that “there is no BJP or RSS behind this rally; it is purely an initiative of the indigenous people to safeguard their roots.”

 

However, the Christian community in Arunachal Pradesh has expressed apprehension. Many believe the Act unfairly targets them, and earlier this year, the Arunachal Christian Forum organised a massive rally in Borum to oppose what they termed a discriminatory and divisive law.

 

The APFRA, passed in 1978 but never implemented, includes provisions for imprisonment and fines for those found guilty of forced religious conversions. Recent efforts to revive the Act and draft implementation rules have reignited controversy, with some organisations labelling it a “draconian” move that could lead to communal unrest.