GUWAHATI: Thousands turned up at a ground in Itanagar on Monday as the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) staged an eight-hour hunger strike in protest against the state government’s move to implement the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978. Some MLAs were among the participants.
The participants held posters which had messages such as “we demand the repeal of APFRA,” “do not turn us against one another,” “there is no honour in enforcing APFRA.”
ACF president Tarh Miri claimed that APFRA violates the freedom of accepting faith and religious belief.
“We oppose this Act. Anti-conversion law is enforced in 11 states. This is only against Christianity,” he alleged.
ACF secretary general James Techi Tara said the enforcement of APFRA would create hatred among people.
“Changing faith is one’s own choice. Forced conversion is restricted in the Indian Constitution. Show me one instance where a complaint was lodged against forced conversion. We want nothing less than the repeal of the Act,” Tara said.
Earlier, the state government said APFRA would be implemented in deference to a directive of the Gauhati High Court. The court asked the government to finalise the Act’s draft rules within six months from September 2024.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the rules, being framed as per a directive of the High Court, were not against any religion.
“The government has been asked to frame the rules to give some more protection to indigenous (faiths),” Khandu said.
He said he would ask the state’s department of indigenous affairs minister and the home minister to deliberate the matter together with all stakeholders.
The ACF, however, slammed him for his alleged double standard. “We don’t entertain his statement. In 2018, he himself had announced that he will repeal this draconian law. But in 2024, he announced that it will be implemented. This is his double-standard,” ACF president Tarh Miri told TNIE.
The Act was introduced in 1978 to safeguard the traditional religious practices of indigenous communities from external influence or coercion.