NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju Sunday accused the Congress of instigating the people of Arunachal Pradesh to protest against the move to grant permanent resident certificates to six communities living in the state.
Rijiju also said Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has clarified that the state government was not bringing the bill on PRC but only tabling report of the Nabam Rebia-led Joint Hight Powered Committee comprising members and student organisations.
"It means the state government has not accepted it. In fact, Congress is fighting for PRC but instigating people wrongly," he tweeted.
Rebia is a cabinet minister in the state government.
Rijiju alleged that the Congress has supported and "instigated" non-Arunachal Pradesh STs in Lekang area to fight for PRC but in Itanagar "misguided" the innocent people.
"From the beginning I have strongly urged the state government not to grant PRC unless people are convinced of full protection of indigenous rights. We must stand united," he said.
People in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh have been protesting after the state government announced it was considering issuing permanent resident certificates (PRC) to six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APSTs) communities living in Namsai and Changlang districts and to the Gorkhas living in Vijaynagar.
Amongst those communities are Deoris, Sonowal Kacharis, Morans, Adivasis and Mishings.
Most of these communities are recognised as Scheduled Tribes in neighbouring Assam.
Widespread violation have been reported in capital Itanagar and some other places leading to death of a person, injury to several others and destruction of properties and vehicles.