One lakh Chakmas and Hajong tribals from Bangladesh conferred Indian citizenship rights

Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh & Others Vs. State of Arunachal Pradesh & Others[WP (C) No. 510 of 2007] | |

The ‘Committee for citizenship rights of the Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRC)’ filed the petition in Supreme Court as the citizenship applications of the Chakma and Hajong Tribe refugee communities were not being entertained by the state government. The Chakmas and Hajong tribes migrated to India in between 1964-1969, after being displaced from East Pakistan and are residing here since then. According to a joint statement between Prime Minister of India and Bangladesh in 1972, they have been conferred Indian Citizenship under section 51(a). The state of Arunachal Pradesh had reservations about their citizenship. The court cited in its order, “The Chakmas and Hajong Tribals who migrated to India and settled in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, need to be protected and their claims of citizenship need to considered as per applicable procedure. They could not be discriminated in any manner pending formal conferment of right of citizenship.” The Supreme Court relied on its earlier decision and ascertained that the Chakma Tribe is displaced from East Pakistan and is allowed to be rehabilitated under the decision of government of India. It was also recognised that they are not required to obtain any Inner Line Permit as they are settled in Arunachal Pradesh.

Attachments

    https://slic.org.in/uploads/2017/12/Committee-for-CR-of-CAP-Vs-State-of-Arunachal-Pradesh.pdf