A delegation from the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) met with Home Minister Mama Natung on October 21, 2025, in a bid to accelerate the implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 1978 (APFRA), a dormant law aimed at curbing forced religious conversions and preserving the state's tribal heritage. Natung, who also oversees the Department of Indigenous Affairs and Water Supply, received the group led by IFCSAP President Emi Rumi and General Secretary Maya Murtem, alongside Youth Wing President Radh Taba and Secretary Rikar Dini.
The team presented a detailed memorandum underscoring the Act's role in shielding Arunachal's diverse indigenous faiths from external pressures, including alleged proselytisation efforts by missionary groups that have historically targeted remote tribal communities. Enacted during the state's formative years as a union territory, the APFRA—modelled after similar "anti-conversion" legislation in neighbouring states—prohibits conversions through inducement, force, or fraud, imposing penalties up to three years' imprisonment and fines. Despite its passage, the law has languished without rules or enforcement mechanisms for over four decades, fuelling ongoing debates in a region where 80% of the population adheres to animist and Donyi-Polo traditions.
The urgency of the appeal stems from escalating concerns over cultural erosion in Arunachal, home to 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes practising unique belief systems intertwined with nature worship and ancestral rituals. IFCSAP highlighted a surge in "external influences", pointing to reports of demographic shifts in districts like Changlang and Tirap, where Christian populations have grown from 0.79% in 1971 to 30% by 2011, per Census data, amid allegations of coerced conversions amid poverty and limited education access. Rumi emphasised that without swift action, these forces threaten the "social and cultural fabric" woven from indigenous practices central to festivals like Solung and Nyokum, which reinforce community bonds and environmental stewardship.
The delegation invoked the Act's original intent—to foster religious freedom while safeguarding minority faiths—as a bulwark against homogenisation, drawing parallels to successful implementations in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Natung, known for his advocacy on tribal autonomy, assured the group of reviewing the memorandum and initiating consultations with stakeholders, including the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, to draft subordinate rules.
This advocacy aligns with broader national discourses on religious freedom versus cultural preservation, particularly in the Northeast, where the Supreme Court's 2023 observations on "fraudulent conversions" have emboldened such movements. IFCSAP, founded in 1995 as a non-political body representing over 20 tribal faith organisations, has ramped up campaigns since 2020, organising awareness drives and petitions to the Governor.
Critics, including Christian forums like the Arunachal Christian Forum, argue that enforcing APFRA could stigmatise voluntary faith shifts and infringe on personal liberties, potentially exacerbating communal tensions in a state already navigating border disputes with China and Myanmar. Yet, proponents like Murtem stress that the law targets only coercive practices, not genuine choices, and could integrate with the Indigenous Affairs Department's initiatives for ethno-medicinal preservation and cultural education in schools. The meeting, held amid the ongoing Nyishi harvest celebrations, reflects growing tribal assertions for self-determination, as articulated in the state's 2024 Indigenous Faith Policy.
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As Arunachal grapples with modernisation—booming hydropower projects and tourism straining traditional livelihoods—the push for APFRA underscores a pivotal crossroads for identity preservation. Natung's response could set precedents for similar demands in Nagaland and Mizoram, where analogous bills face resistance. IFCSAP vowed continued vigilance, planning statewide rallies if implementation delays persist, while calling for interfaith dialogues to foster harmony. In a diverse mosaic of over 500 languages and dialects, enforcing the 1978 Act might not only revive a legislative relic but also empower Arunachal's tribes to narrate their own futures, balancing progress with the echoes of ancient spirits that define their world.
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