GUWAHATI: An organization representing indigenous faith practitioners in Arunachal Pradesh has announced a large-scale public rally on October 18. Their goal is to press for the active implementation of a long-standing law designed to curb religious conversions.
The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 1978, which has remained largely dormant for over four decades, is at the heart of the current dispute. While the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh (IFCSAP) maintains that the Act is not prejudiced against any particular religion, Christian communities within the state are vehemently opposed to it.
Members of both the IFCSAP and the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Affairs Council are pushing for the law’s enforcement, drawing a parallel to its origins. They emphasize that Chief Minister Pema Khandu should ‘finish what Prem Khandu began in 1978.’ Prem Khandu Thungon served as Arunachal Pradesh’s first Chief Minister, leading the Janata Party government for more than four years starting in August 1975.
IFCSAP President Emi Rumi clarified the group’s stance, stating, “The Act is not against any religion. Its core purpose is to safeguard all religions and preserve the unique indigenous cultures thriving in the State.” Other leaders from the IFCSAP echoed this sentiment, firmly denying any political backing from entities like the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the upcoming October 18 rally. They assert that the initiative stems purely from individuals practicing indigenous faiths, such as Donyi-Polo and Rangfrah, who are committed to protecting their ancestral roots.
Conversely, the Arunachal Christian Forum views the Act as inherently “discriminatory and divisive,” believing it unfairly targets their community. This forum previously organized a major protest rally in February after the Chief Minister indicated that a directive from the Gauhati High Court necessitated the law’s implementation. In September 2024, the Court indeed instructed the State government to finalize the draft rules for the Act within six months, a process that is still pending.
The Freedom of Religion Act includes provisions for both imprisonment and financial penalties for individuals found guilty of converting others through coercion, inducement, or fraudulent means.
According to the IFCSAP, the increasing rate of conversions among tribal populations to other religions poses a significant threat to indigenous faiths, which they fear could soon disappear without the Act’s enforcement.
Statistical data from the indigenous faith body highlights a dramatic demographic shift: the Christian population reportedly surged from less than 1% in 1971 to over 30% by 2011. During this identical period, the proportion of people adhering to indigenous faiths and other traditional religions saw a sharp decline, dropping from more than 63% to approximately 26%. Similarly, the Buddhist population in the state decreased from about 13% in 1971 to under 12% in 2011, while the Hindu population experienced an increase of about 7%, reaching 29.03% in 2011.