To stop conversions through allurement, pressure tactics and fraudulent means in the North Eastern State of Arunachal Pradesh, the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA) has demanded that the rules of the Religious Freedom Act, 1978 passed in Arunachal Pradesh should be made immediately and this law should be strictly implemented. This demand was made by ABVKA National President Satyendra Singh and Vice President Techi Gubin in a press conference that was held in Kolkata on March 11.
Keep Conversion At Bay
Addressing the conference, Shri Satyendra Singh said to protect the indigenous faith and culture of Janjatis (tribes) of Arunachal Pradesh and to prevent conversions through allurement, pressure or fraudulent means, the then Janata Party Government had passed the Arunachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Act in 1978. Unfortunately, due to its rules not being framed yet, this law has not been implemented for the last 47 years. Due to this, the Christian population in the State increased to 31 per cent by 2011, which was only one per cent before the law was made.
The Itanagar Permanent Bench of the Gauhati High Court, while giving an order on a Public Interest Petition on September 30, had ordered the Arunachal Pradesh Government to notify the rules for implementing this law within six months from the day of the order. Underlining this, Satyendra Singh ji said that as this period was approaching closer, the church and organisations inspired by it had started opposing the court’s order and the State Government’s efforts to frame rules. ABVKA condemns these actions of various organisations.
“Extensive discussion on APFRA is the need of the hour” –Sunil Ambekar
The Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Sunil Ambekar, said there should be an in-depth discussion on the contentious Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978.
Reacting to the heated debates in the State over the APFRA, Ambekarji said that everyone is giving their opinion and the RSS welcomes the discussion. “There should be extensive discussion from every angle on this Act,” Ambekarji said that Hindutva’s main motive is to preserve indigenous faiths in their purest form. “But with time, changes do happen, which is a natural process,” the Prachar Pramukh said.
Further, he said that the RSS is not against the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873. “We always advocated repealing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. But we know that the BEFR is a completely different case, and we have nothing against this provision,” he said.
On the issue of religious conversion and the spread of Christian missionaries in the North East region through schools and hospitals, he cited a census report which he claimed “shows changes in religious demography.”
“Census report says everything. But today, people across Bharat and the world are asking if it is correct to make people change faith in return for providing facilities,” Prachar Pramukh said. He also said that the middle path is the solution to the Siang dam issue. “Both sides need to be heard on the Siang dam issue. Local people’s concerns should be addressed, and people need to understand the national security issue. A solution acceptable to both will have to be worked out,” he said. The RSS formally started working in Arunachal Pradesh from 1990 onwards. “We are working with a long-term goal. But definitely, we have achieved the target to spread our message in the State. People of Arunachal support us, and that’s why we have been able to spread,” said Ambekarji. At present, the RSS convenes shakhas (daily) in 54 places, Saptahik Milans (weekly) in 119 places, and Mashik Mandals (monthly) in 221 places.
Expressing serious concern about the serious consequences of conversion, Satyendra Singh ji said that in these nearly five decades, conversion has swallowed almost half the population of Sanatan – Swadharmi Janjati society of Arunachal Pradesh, its indigenous faith and culture. In this small State with a population of 15 lakh, two bishops and thousands of people inspired by churches are protesting against the High Court order and efforts of the State Government to frame the rules in compliance with it.
Nonchalant about Non Compliance
Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is deeply concerned about the fact that the country’s media and various political parties are turning a blind eye and sitting silently on this important issue. Therefore, the Arunachal Pradesh Government must fulfil its constitutional responsibility by immediately notifying these rules. Strict implementation of this law is the need of the hour.
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