Guwahati: Even after minor protests and opposition, Arunachal Pradesh has decided to go ahead with its plan to rehabilitate Tibetan refugees in the frontier state.
Though the central government had introduced this policy of rehabilitating the Tibetan refugees in 2014 but Arunachal Pradesh government adopted it on August 12, 2017.
According to home ministry’s report, they came in 1959 and after 54 years, their population stands at 7,530 in the frontier state.
The Rehabilitation Policy 2014 provides a uniform guideline demarcating the facilities to be extended to the Tibetan refugees living within the jurisdiction of the respective state government since 1959.
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU), People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) and Arunachal Civil Society (ACS) are opposing the move of the state government for adopting the policy on the ground that it poses a threat to demography and survival of indigenous peoples of Arunachal Pradesh, their livelihood and many more.
However, the state unit of the National People’s Party (NPP) urged the people of the state not to worry about the implementation of the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014.
“The policy will not make any impact on socio-economic development and change the state’s demography. Rather, we should stand together to extend our solidarity for the cause of the Tibetans who are fighting for the autonomous region within the People’s Republic of China,” the party said.
The party in an emergency meeting chaired by state unit President Gicho Kabak, who is also the president of Tibet Support Group of Arunachal Pradesh, appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju for adopting the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy on humanitarian ground.
The Tibetan refugees were given the special guest status and protection by India on the humanitarian ground for the last 50 years.
In 45 settlements in 10 states, including Arunachal Pradesh, the refugees have no uniform guidelines for the facilities to be extended to the Tibetan refugees living in India.
