Demand for Immediate Implementation: Arunachal's Religious Freedom Act 1978

The Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram urges prompt notification and enforcement of the Arunachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 1978. This act, aimed at safeguarding indigenous faiths from forced conversions, was passed 47 years ago but remains unenforced. Indigenous cultural protection is a cited concern amid opposition labeling it 'unconstitutional'.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has called for the immediate notification and strict implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Act, 1978. This plea was made during a recent press conference held in Kolkata.

ABVKA's national president, Satyendra Singh, emphasized that the act was originally passed 47 years ago by the Janata Party government with the intention of protecting the indigenous tribes' culture and faith in Arunachal Pradesh. Despite the legislation's passage, the necessary rules have yet to be framed, leaving the law unenforced since its inception.

Singh, along with ABVKA vice president Techi Gubin, highlighted a directive from the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court, which had ordered the state government to finalize draft rules within six months of September 30 last year. They urged both the state administration and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to enforce the law swiftly, stressing its importance for preserving tribal identity in the region. However, the Arunachal Christian Forum has opposed the act, describing it as unconstitutional.