Itanagar, Mar 16 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said he plans to lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi soon to seek amendment of Article 371 (H) which has special provisions pertaining to the state in order to place it at par with special provisions meant for Nagaland enshrined in Article 371 (A) of the constitution.
While Article 371 (H) deals with special powers of the Governor over law and order in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, Article 371 (A) says no act of Parliament can impact Naga social and religious practices, Naga customary law, ownership of land and resources.
Responding to a zero hour discussion brought in the assembly by senior Congress MLA Ninong Ering on amendment of the Article 371 (H) to enable Arunachal to get all Constitutional provisions in line of Nagaland, Khandu promised to re-send a resolution adopted in the state assembly to amend Article 371(H) on August 28, 2020, to the Centre.
The assembly resolved that the special provision with respect to the state be further strengthened by amending Article 371(H) by inserting provisions for protection of religious or social practices of the tribes of the state, customary law and procedure of the state’s tribes, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to customary laws of the tribes and including provisos to protect local ownership and transfer of land and its resources.
“We have no laws to protect our tribal rights and customary laws. It is time we act strongly for safeguarding our rights,” Khandu said.
Initiating the discussion, Ering, a former union minister, said Article 371 (H) was inserted in the Constitution after Arunachal attained statehood without discussion with the then state leadership.
“The Article did not grant provision of ownership of resources to the tribals like in Nagaland and Mizoram as the two northeastern states have freedom on the state’s resources,” Ering pointed out.
He urged the state government to rigorously pursue the matter with the Centre with BJP governments ruling at the Centre and state.
He also requested the three MPs from the state to take up the issue at the appropriate level so that the tribal populations of the state get their legitimate rights. PTI UPL JRC JRC
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