New Delhi/Agartala (Tripura) July 7: A scheduled meeting between the Arunachal Pradesh government and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on July 8, 2025, has sparked serious concern over the ongoing Chakma-Hajong issue.
Suhas Chakma, Director of the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) and member of the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) Core Group, has issued a formal notice to senior state officials warning of potential contempt proceedings. In a Press release, he alleges that the inclusion of AAPSU, a ‘non-state actor’, in official deliberations concerning Chakma and Hajong settlers not only violates constitutional principles but also undermines a binding 1996 Supreme Court judgment safeguarding the rights of these communities.
Notably, the meeting agenda includes a discussion on “Land Records and Encroachment by Chakma Hajong Settlers,” following a memorandum submitted by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU).
Issuing a formal notice, Suhas Chakma warned that the Chakma and Hajong communities may be compelled to file contempt proceedings against the state government. The action, he stated, would be in response to the alleged violation of the Supreme Court’s landmark 1996 judgment safeguarding the rights of Chakmas and Hajongs in the state.
Referring to the 9 January 1996 judgment in NHRC vs. State of Arunachal Pradesh, Suhas Chakma recalled that the Supreme Court had directed the state government to protect the lives and personal freedoms of all Chakma residents from threats or coercion by organized groups. The Court had also mandated that “quit notices” and ultimatums issued by groups such as AAPSU, which pose a threat to life and liberty, must be addressed strictly under the law.
Chakma criticized the government’s decision to include AAPSU in the official decision-making meeting, stating that it effectively allows the organization to act simultaneously as complainant, judge, and enforcer. “This inclusion is legally untenable and in direct violation of the principles enshrined in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. Moreover, it amounts to contempt of the Supreme Court’s 1996 ruling,” Chakma said in a statement.
He further cited the apex court’s direction that no Chakma individual should be removed from their place of residence or occupation on the grounds of citizenship status while their application is still under review. According to Chakma, not a single Chakma or Hajong citizenship application has been processed by the state till date, and a related case, W\.P.(C) 510/2007, is still pending before the Supreme Court.
“The state, acting with mala fide intent, is displacing Chakmas and Hajongs despite a clear legal bar on such action until citizenship claims are adjudicated,” Chakma said. He added that such actions reflect poorly on the nation and underscore the erosion of the rule of law when unofficial groups are given decision-making power in government matters.
Chakma warned that should these practices continue, it is the state officials who will bear the responsibility for contempt of court due to their direct involvement in undermining a binding judicial order.
