For the last few years there were allegations that Chakma tribesmen were being selectively targeted for various forms of repressions in the North East region. The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI), a Delhi based organization had been voicing concern over the community’s problem, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura and Mizoram.
Of late, in Tripura also some tribal bodies alleged that hundreds of Chakmas from neighbouring Bangladesh entered the state and set up homes in the interiors of Gandacherra.
However, of late the CDFI took up the issue directly to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and submitted a memorandum. The CDFI also touched upon the political chord in the memorandum as it cautioned the Union Home Minister of “growing alienation of the Chakmas from the Bharatiya Janata Party as a result of repression on them in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura and Mizoram”.
CDFI founder Suhas Chakma said ‘the state government of Tripura has directed the officials on August 2 to conduct investigation into alleged influx of only Chakmas as alleged foreigners despite more influx from the other communities’.
Then came the clincher from the CDFI. He said: Out of the 20 reserved Assembly seats for the Scheduled Tribes in Tripura, the Chakmas are dominant and deciding factors in seven Assembly constituencies.
“If the repression on the Chakmas continues unabated and corrective remedial measures are not taken, growing alienation of the Chakmas has the potential to impact on the electoral outcomes in the forthcoming Tripura Assembly elections (2023) against the BJP”.
This was almost a direct caution for the ruling BJP in Tripura which does have a strong base and influence among the Chakma communities in the state. Besides, in view of the TTAADC elections the BJP would have to depend on the Chakma votes to a great extent.
The CDFI felt that Tripura government should immediately stop the investigation into alleged Chkama influx from Bangladesh in a selective manner. Or carry out the investigation inquire into all foreigners irrespective of caste, ethnic origin or religion.
The CDFI said adding that Scheduled Tribes status from the Chakmas had been snatched in Mizoram as non-Mizo people under the Mizoram (Selection of Candidates for Higher Technical Courses) Rules, 2021 by allocating only one per cent of the seats for the Chakmas in higher technical education.
In Arunachal Pradesh where Chakma uissue ahd always been a serious one, the CDFI said, Chief Minister Pema Khandu in his Independence Day address proposed to relocate Chakmas and Hajongs 60-years after their permanent settlement.
He said that over 110 Chakma tribal families at Thedongnala under Lumding Circle in Hojai district of Assam “illegally evicted” during an eviction drive since November 8 despite the Chakmas inhabiting the area for over 40 years.
“These are some instances as part of the nation-wide repression on 2,25,000 Chakmas in India as per 2011 census,” Suhas Chakma said.
As remedial measures, the CDFI urged the Home Minister to ask Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu to issue an official statement rejecting the proposed illegal and unconstitutional relocation of the Chakmas and Hajongs.
The organisation requested Shah also to ask Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma to immediately provide rehabilitation and resettlement to all the Chakma families as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb to either stop investigation into the Chakmas only as alleged foreigners or inquire into all foreigners irrespective of caste, ethnic origin or religion.
“The Home Minister can ask Mizoram Governor to examine the constitutionality of the Mizoram (Selection of Candidates for Higher Technical Courses) Rules, 2021 especially in the light of the court judgment in a PIL in 2016 and issue necessary directions to the state government to withdraw the unconstitutional rules,” the CDFI memorandum said.
Pic : taken from internet /open source
