Christians Hold Massive Protest Against Arunachal Freedom of Religion Act
Arunachal Protest Against APFRA
Guwahati: Thousands of Christians in Arunachal Pradesh, under the banner of the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF), staged a massive demonstration on Thursday, opposing the impending implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978. Protesters fear that the Act threatens their religious freedom.
The ACF initially planned to protest outside the state secretariat but was denied permission by the Itanagar Capital Region administration.
Assembly Rejects Private Member Resolution
During the first sitting of the 4th session of the 8th Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung presented a private member resolution on APFRA. However, the Assembly rejected the resolution, citing concerns over potential law and order issues, reminiscent of the 2019 anti-PRC riots.
ACF Stands Firm on the Repeal of APFRA
Speaking to the media, ACF Secretary-General James Techi Tara reiterated that their demand is the complete repeal of APFRA rather than modifications to its rules.
“We will not negotiate on rules. Our demand is clear—we oppose the Act itself. We will take time to observe the government’s actions before deciding our next steps,” he said.
Meanwhile, ACF President Tarh Miri highlighted the massive turnout at the protest, stating that over two lakh Christians from various denominations gathered at Borum, near Itanagar.
Government Calls for Discussion; ACF Rejects Talks on Rules
On March 3, Mama Natung, the OSD to the Home Minister, invited all stakeholders, including the ACF, for discussions on the draft rules of APFRA.
However, the ACF refused to discuss the rules, insisting that they would only entertain written proposals aimed at amending or repealing the Act itself.
The protests mark a growing clash between the Christian community and the state government over religious freedom, with further demonstrations expected in the coming weeks.
- Religion World Bureau
