Granting of ST status to non-indigenous tribes, AAPSU opposes

Itanagar: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has expressed deep concern over a recent document circulated by the Adi Ba:ne’ Kebang (ABK) that proposes certain groups residing in Namsai district adopt Adi surnames through affidavits to obtain Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The apex student body fears this move could compromise the integrity of Arunachal Pradesh’s indigenous identity, Arunachal Times reported.

AAPSU general secretary Ritum Tali emphasized that such directives may violate the established principles for granting ST status, which are rooted in the district’s historical, cultural, and rights-based identity of indigenous Arunachalees.

AAPSU has extended an invitation to ABK for a joint meeting to discuss the matter openly. The union has also urged the state government to intervene and facilitate a dialogue between the two organizations.

The student body strongly opposes any attempts to include non-Arunachalees under the ST category in the state. AAPSU warned that such actions could lead to significant divisions within communities.

It also threatened to file an FIR against individuals who have allegedly changed their surnames from Mising to Adi if a dialogue is not initiated promptly.

AAPSU has released a copy of the document circulated by the ABK Namsai unit, which lists Mising surnames to be changed to Adi surnames for residents of the Namsai district. The document, purportedly issued by ABK Namsai unit president Boken Ratan, lacks a signature.