Why it is important to implement a 1978 legislation to keep Arunachal safe

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. (Source: Twitter-@PemaKhanduBJP)

Arunachal Pradesh, the sensitive border state of India, might have a population of only 1.5 million but it is facing rapid conversion to Christianity. Given the strategic importance of this state that shares a border with China, this change in religious demography can have significant security and strategic implications. The north-eastern states that have seen significant shifts in religious demography  have historically experienced separatist movements.

This issue has come to the fore again with the Akhil Bharaitya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram(ABVKA) taking it up in wake of the protests organised by a section of Church in Arunachal Pradesh over  the expected implementation of a 1978 legislation.

ABVKA is an organisation inspired by the RSS. It has been working with the tribals since its inception in 1952 and one of its key programmes is to stop conversion of tribals into Christianity. Janjati Suraksha Manch, another organisation inspired by the ABVKA has been holding public rallies across the country for the last several years to demand that tribal converts into Christianity shouldn’t be allowed to avail benefits reserved for the Scheduled Tribe community.

Historical context

India's tribal population lives across 30 states and union territories and exceeds 120 million. They have been facing the onslaught of conversions since the arrival of the British. The British rule actively encouraged Christian missionaries to convert tribal communities In India to Christianity, especially in the north-eastern parts. Following India's independence, rapid spread of Christian proselytisation among tribal populations, particularly in north-eastern India continued. The resulting demographic shifts fuelled the emergence of separatist movements in this region.

Arunachal facing the evangelical tide

Arunachal Pradesh has often been in the news because of defence related issues as it shares a border with China. But that has probably resulted in ignoring the fast changing religious demography of the state which can have serious strategic implications also.

One of the most significant and most neglected stories that came out of the Census 2011 data is the onslaught of evangelical tide in Arunachal Pradesh. From 2001-11, the proportion of Christians in the population of the state has risen from less than 19 to more than 30 percent. According to a Centre for Policy study, Christians now form a majority or near majority of the population in several districts. The share of Christians in the Scheduled Tribes population of the state and the districts is even higher.

And that is what has concerned the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA) as its  national President Satyendra Singh has demanded an immediate implementation of the rules of the Religious Freedom Act, 1978 passed in Arunachal Pradesh.

Ironically, this legislation was passed specifically to check the conversions but its rules have not been framed yet, according to the ABVKA..

"Unfortunately, due to its rules not being framed yet, this law has not been implemented for the last 47 years, due to which the Christian population in the state increased to 31% by 2011, which was only 1 percent before the law was made",  says Singh.

The Itanagar permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court, while giving an order on a public interest petition on September 30 last year, had ordered the Arunachal Pradesh government to notify the rules for implementing this law within 6 months from the day of the order. Underlining this, the ABVKA says that as this period was approaching closer, the church and the organizations inspired by it had started opposing the court's order and the state government's efforts to frame rules.

The ABVKA President specifically said in a presser in Kolkata on March 11, “In this small state with a population of 15 lakhs, two bishops and thousands of people inspired by churches are today protesting against the High Court order and efforts of the state government to frame the rules in compliance with it.”

Arunachal Pradesh Religious Freedom Act (APFRA) 1978

APFRA is a standard legislation that follows the norms followed by other anti-conversion laws in the other states also.  Most importantly, it  defines the ‘indigenous faith’ in context of the demography of the state which would help in checking conversions by force, fraud or inducement means.

Section 2(b), (c) and 2(h) of this Act when read together provide a robust legal framework to check unabated conversions in the state.

Section 2(b) defines ‘Conversion’. It says “Conversion” means renouncing one religious faith and adopting another religious faith, and “convert” shall be constructed accordingly. Section 2(h) says “religious faith” includes any indigenous faith.

According to Section 2(C) of this Act, “Indigenous faith” means such religions, beliefs and practices including rites, rituals, festivals. Observances, performances, abstinence, customs as have been found sanctioned, approved, performed by the indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh from the time these communities have been known and includes Buddhism as prevalent among the Monpas, Membas, Sherdukpens, Khambas, Khamptis and Singphos, Vaishnavism as practiced by Noctes, Akas and Nature worships, including worships of Donyi-Polo, as prevalent among other indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh.”

Fulfilling the Constitutional Responsibility

It is clear that by framing the rules for APRFA, 1978 and implementing them, the state government would be fulfilling its Constitutional responsibility.  However, the Christian organisations are doing an on ground mobilisation as well as building a narrative through media and social media  to pressurise the  state government  for not implementing this legislation. On the other hand the ABVKA has also taken a firm stand by demanding that the Arunachal Pradesh government should immediately notify these rules and start strict implementation of this law. It has also requested the Union Home Minister “to make necessary intervention in this matter to protect the cultural identity of the patriotic tribes of this border-sensitive state.”

Earlier RSSFACTS columns can be read here.