The Arunachal Indigenous Tribes’ Forum (AITF) has appealed to people to restrain themselves amid prevailing tensions over the framing of rules under a state’s law relating to the freedom of religion.
The AITF, an apex body of organisations of indigenous tribes, claimed that protests, including hunger strikes by members of the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) and rallies by the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) recently, threaten peace and development in the state.
The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978, has been a contentious issue, particularly among Christian groups. The Act aims to prevent forced religious conversions through inducement or fraudulent means.
The IFCSAP and the state government argue that the law is crucial to preserving indigenous culture and faith, whereas the ACF contends that it discriminates against Christians. The AITF has appealed to "political parties, ACF, IFCSAP, and the public to refrain from making provocative statements that could escalate tensions”.
On February 20, chief minister Pema Khandu reassured that the newly framed rules under APFRA were not intended to target any religious community but to safeguard indigenous culture and beliefs.
“The intention behind the new rules is not to target any specific religious group, be it Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, or Muslims, but rather to offer greater support to the indigenous people of the state,” Khandu said.