Itanagar, Sept. 17: Arunachal Pradesh is staring at an indefinite All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU)-sponsored economic blockade along National Highway 52, the lifeline of the state, from tomorrow. The union is protesting against the ongoing anti-migrant drive in that state.

The Banderdewa and Kimin checkgates will be blocked from tomorrow because of “unnecessary and unlawful harassment” of minorities from Assam living in Arunachal Pradesh by the All Nyishi Students Union during Operation Clean Drive, the union said.

The president of the union’s North Lakhimpur unit, Zia-ur Rahman, today said his association would clamp an indefinite econo- mic blockade on Bander- dewa and Kimin, the two main entry gates of Arunachal Pradesh.

“We have decided to impose an indefinite economic blockade on Arunachal Pradesh in protest against the anti-migrant drive which saw an exodus of at least 2,000 to 3,000 Muslims from Arunachal Pradesh. We announced our decision on the road blockade at a meeting, which was attended by 10,000 Muslims, at Laluk in North Lakhimpur yesterday. The union strongly condemned the atrocities meted out to the innocent labourers by student unions in the name of detection and deportation of illegal migrants,” Rahman said from Laluk over phone today.

He also criticised the Arunachal Pradesh government for turning a blind eye to these “atrocities.”

Home minister Jarbom Gamlin had told reporters a week ago that Arunachal has nearly 8,000 Bangladeshi migrants.

The All Nyishi Students Union and All Papum Pare District Students Union had served a quit notice on illegal Bangladeshi migrants on September 6 to leave the state within five days. The student bodies launched the first phase of Operation Clean Drive on September 12.

The unions urged the government and people of the state to extend their help in their efforts to free the state of illegal migrants. The All Nyishi Youth Association started verification of inner-line permit holders among the Muslim population living in the state. The Papum Pare district administration supported the move of the student unions to detect and deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

State PCC president Nabam Tuki told a press meet that the government supported both the student unions in their drive to flush out illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the state. All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU) president Niglar Veo said they had never targeted against any community or religious group.

“We have made our intentions very clear. The drive was launched to free the state of illegal Bangladeshi migrants, not to harm or harass anyone,” Veo added.