GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said that the state will soon frame rules and implement the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978, which was dormant until now.
The announcement was made at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) in Itanagar on Friday, according to a statement from his office.
Union minister of tribal affairs Jual Oram was also present at the event.
The Act, passed 46 years ago during the tenure of the state’s first chief minister, P.K. Thungon, aims to prohibit forced conversions or conversions through inducement or fraudulent means and prescribes penalties of up to two years imprisonment and fines of up to ₹10,000 for violations.
Khandu said that the Act had remained dormant until September 30, when the Gauhati High Court directed the state government to finalise the rules under the Freedom of Religion Act within six months.
The directive followed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Naharlagun resident, Tambo Tamim, who sought the court’s intervention as the state had not framed the required rules even after four decades of the Act being passed.
The process of drafting these rules is currently underway, he added.
Emphasising the crucial role of the Act in preserving Arunachal’s indigenous faith and culture, Khandu said, “Soon, we will have a properly structured Freedom of Religion Act in place, and this development will play a significant role in preserving Arunachal’s indigenous faith and culture.”
He further asserted that ‘faith’ and ‘culture’ are two sides of the same coin, and both cannot ‘walk’ separately.
He underscored the importance of preserving the state’s distinct cultural and faith traditions, citing examples of indigenous tribes and cultures disappearing globally.
The government had established the department of Indigenous Affairs in 2017 to protect and promote indigenous cultures, languages, and institutions, in collaboration with the IFCSAP and community-based organisations (CBOs).
Khandu praised the IFCSAP and other local volunteers for their dedicated efforts in cultural preservation.
He also highlighted that the responsibility for protecting Arunachal’s indigenous culture and faith lies not only with the government but also with the state’s 26 major tribes.