Assam CM Denies Plans to Relocate Chakma and Hajong Refugees from Arunachal Pradesh

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has denied any plans to relocate Chakma and Hajong refugees from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam, contradicting earlier statements made by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. Rijiju had claimed that he had discussed the relocation with Sarma and the Home Minister, and that the process to identify land had commenced. However, Sarma has refuted these claims, stating that the central government has not discussed any such relocation with him, and that there is no land available in Assam to accommodate these refugees.

Sarma clarified that the central government has not discussed this matter with the Assam government, and he is unaware of Rijiju's remarks. "The government of India has not discussed anything with the Assam government. I don't know what Kiren Rijiju had said, I was not there. I will speak to Kiren Rijiju after the elections," Sarma stated. He emphasized that the Assam government does not have the land to settle these refugees, and no one from the Chakma-Hajong community has approached him about it.

The issue has drawn sharp reactions from various political parties in Assam, who have accused the BJP government of conspiring to shift the burden of refugees from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam. The Congress party has criticized this as a 'dangerous conspiracy' against Assam's interests, and student groups have also opposed any such move to settle the refugees in Assam.

Why this matters: The relocation of Chakma and Hajong refugees has been a contentious issue, with the indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh strongly opposing their settlement in the state. Any attempt to relocate them to Assam is likely to face similar opposition and could potentially lead to social and political unrest in the region.

The Chakma and Hajong communities, who migrated to India from Bangladesh in the 1960s, have been settled in Arunachal Pradesh since then. In 1996, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh governments to grant citizenship to the Chakma and Hajongs, but the state government has refused to implement the judgment. The Arunachal Pradesh government has also announced the suspension of 'residence proof certificates' for the Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state.

Key Takeaways

• Assam CM denies plans to relocate Chakma-Hajong refugees from Arunachal to Assam.
• Rijiju claimed relocation talks with Assam CM, but Sarma refutes this, says no such discussions.
• Assam govt says no land available to accommodate these refugees, central govt not consulted.
• Opposition parties in Assam criticize the alleged 'conspiracy' to shift refugee burden to Assam.
• Chakma-Hajong refugees settled in Arunachal since 1960s, state govt refuses to grant them citizenship.