Arunachal students' union's strong criticism leads to disqualification of Chakma candidate in Assembly polls

The Arunachal Pradesh Government has revoked the nomination of Drishyamuni Chakma for the 49-Bordumsa Constituency following vehement opposition from the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU). The decision, announced today, comes after AAPSU raised concerns regarding the legality of Chakma's candidacy, citing historical and legal grounds.

AAPSU General Secretary expressed the union's discontent, pointing to the contentious history surrounding Chakma and Hajong communities in Arunachal Pradesh. The deportation of Chakma and Hajong individuals from Bangladesh in 1961, allegedly without the consent of indigenous tribal people, has remained a contentious issue in the state's politics. Moreover, both the Guwahati High Court and the Supreme Court have previously declared Chakma and Hajong as foreigners.

Drishyamuni Chakma's nomination stirred further controversy as allegations surfaced that he hailed from Mizoram but attempted to run for office in Arunachal Pradesh using fraudulent documents. This act, deemed a violation of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, prompted swift action from both AAPSU and the government.

Meanwhile , ahead of the simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju hinted at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leveraging the Chakma Hajong refugee issue. Rijiju, eyeing the Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat for the fourth term, disclosed plans to settle the refugees outside the frontier state before granting them Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019.

Addressing the media, Rijiju outlined the BJP's stance on the contentious matter, indicating that while the CAA aims to extend citizenship to non-Muslim "persecuted migrants" from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, Chakmas and Hajongs residing in Arunachal Pradesh would not be beneficiaries. He highlighted that the central government has exempted tribal states like Arunachal Pradesh from the purview of the CAA.