Arunachal: Thousands rally in Itanagar demanding implementation of 46-year-old Anti-Conversion Law

In a massive show of strength, thousands of indigenous people from across Arunachal Pradesh today took part in a peaceful rally at Itanagar, demanding the immediate implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978 — a 46-year-old anti-conversion law that has remained largely unimplemented since its enactment.

The rally, organised by the Indigenous Faith & Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP), saw participation from representatives of all 27 districts, 26 major tribes, and over 100 sub-tribes, many dressed in traditional attire. Participants carried placards calling for the protection of the state’s age-old indigenous faiths, particularly the Donyi-Polo belief system — where “Donyi” represents the Sun and “Polo” the Moon — which they say is under threat due to large-scale religious conversions.

Speaking to the media, IFCSAP President Dr. Emi Rumi said the rally was aimed at urging the government to implement the APFRA in full. “This Act was introduced in 1978 within four months of the State Assembly’s maiden session for the welfare of the indigenous tribal society. Despite repeated requests, it has not been implemented yet,” he said.

Dr. Rumi added that while the APFRA had received presidential assent soon after its passage, successive governments had “paid only lip service” to indigenous faith communities. “If it is implemented, we will be able to preserve our culture, traditions, and rituals that define the identity of Arunachal’s indigenous people,” he stated.

IFCSAP members expressed concern that increasing religious conversions could soon make indigenous faiths a minority in their own homeland. “We are seeing what is happening around us. If conversions continue unchecked, our ancient traditions and identities will vanish,” said one of the participants.

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Earlier this year, on February 17, members of the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) staged an eight-hour hunger strike in Itanagar opposing the APFRA. The protest, which was joined by several legislators, accused the government of using the law to target Christians. ACF President Tarh Miri said, “The anti-conversion law violates the freedom to accept faith and religious belief. We oppose it because it targets Christianity. People should be free to change their faith — enforcing such a law will only create hatred.”

However, the state government has maintained that the implementation of the Act is now bound by a directive from the Gauhati High Court. In September 2024, the court directed the Arunachal Pradesh government to finalise the draft rules of the APFRA within six months — a deadline that expires this month.

Speaking at the rally, advocate and keynote speaker S.D. Loda warned that Arunachal could face a fate similar to that of Mizoram or Nagaland if the spread of conversion continues unchecked. “We do not want to become the next Mizoram or Nagaland, where almost everyone converted and the indigenous faith and identity were lost to foreign religious propaganda,” he said.

Professor Dr. Nani Bath, who also addressed the media, clarified that the Act is not against any religion but serves as “a protective shield” for indigenous faith followers. “The APFRA is meant to safeguard tribal communities from being converted through inducements or external appeasement. It’s about preservation, not persecution,” he said.

The APFRA, enacted in 1978, prohibits conversions carried out through “force, inducement, or by any fraudulent means” and prescribes penalties for violations. It mandates that any conversion must be formally reported to district authorities. The law also recognises the state’s indigenous faiths — including Donyi-Poloism, Buddhism, and Vaishnavism among certain tribes — and seeks to preserve their traditional religious practices.

While the debate over the implementation of the APFRA intensifies, Arunachal Pradesh remains divided between two powerful narratives — one demanding legal protection for indigenous traditions, and the other defending the constitutional right to freedom of religion. The coming weeks, as the High Court’s deadline approaches, could determine how the state reconciles faith, identity, and law in its most sensitive cultural debate in decades.