Amid Widespread Violence, Arunachal Pradesh Junks Permanent Residency Proposal

New Delhi: Amidst violent protests in Arunachal Pradesh, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said Sunday the state government has decided to not accept the recommendations of a high-level committee to grant permanent resident certificate (PRC)s to six communities, and blamed the Congress for "instigating" a section of people.

In separate tweets, Rijiju said the Arunachal Pradesh government has passed an order to not accept the recommendations of the Joint High-Powered Committee to grant PRC to six communities living in Namsai and Changlang districts.

Widespread violence has been reported in the state capital Itanagar and other places, leading to the death of at least two persons, injury to several and destruction of properties and vehicles.

The central government has dispatched 1,000 paramilitary personnel to the state to help the administration in maintaining law and order.

"Everyone must come together without blaming each other for the sake of peace. It's very unfortunate that innocent lives were lost in the violence," Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said.

The Union minister of state for home accused the Congress of "instigating" people of the state to protest against the move to grant permanent resident certificates to six communities.

Rijiju said Chief Minister Pema Khandu has clarified that the state government was not bringing the bill on PRC but only tabling the report of the Nabam Rebia-led committee consisting of members and student organisations.

"It means the state government has not accepted it. In fact, the Congress is fighting for PRC but instigating people wrongly," he said.

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 "misguided" innocent people in Itanagar.

"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 that it was considering issuing PRCs to six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APSTs) communities living in the Namsai and Changlang districts and to the Gorkhas living in Vijaynagar.

Among those communities are Deoris, Sonowal Kacharis, Morans, Adivasis and Mishings.

Most of these communities are recognised as Scheduled Tribes in neighbouring Assam.