The protesters also demanded that the state government wake up from its slumber
Joining Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura in the protests over the Citizenship Act, thousands of students from Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) and the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) took out a protest march from the RGU campus in Rono Hills to the Raj Bhavan in Arunachal Pradesh's capital Itanagar on Friday.
The protest march was jointly organised by the RGU Students' Union and the Students' Union of NERIST, in collaboration with the North East Students' Organisation, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), and the RGU Research Scholars' Forum.
Chanting the demand for azadi (freedom) from the Citizenship Act, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP, the students took part in what was probably the longest protest march held in the state.
The organisations later submitted a representation to the governor, demanding that either the Citizenship Act be scrapped immediately, or that the entire Northeast region be exempted from it.
The protesters also demanded that the state government wake up from its slumber.
"How would exemption of Arunachal from the Citizenship Act protect the state from illegal immigrants? How come the state government thinks that Arunachal would be safe when neighbouring Assam is in the midst of chaos?" said a protester.
"The government and our people are living under the illusion that exemption from the Citizenship Act would keep Arunachal out of trouble. We have the longest porous boundary with Assam, and controlling (the entry of) illegal immigrants is humanly impossible if Assam is swamped with Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Afghans," he added.
The student organisations demanded an answer from the state's parliamentarians, Kiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao, for voting in favour of the Citizenship Act.
The Assam Students' Association, the Assam Students' Forum and the Assam Research Scholars' Forum of RGU and the NERIST had also organised a protest march on Thursday in the university campus, demanding scrapping of the Citizenship Act, which was recently passed by both the houses of parliament.
Earlier, addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club, the AAPSU demanded that the state government clarify the status of the Chakma and Hajong refugees after the promulgation of the Citizenship Act in parliament.
Addressing the press persons, AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said, "The government of India did not listen to the people of the Northeast despite the massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Though Arunachal Pradesh is exempted from the Act, we are not happy."
He said "the AAPSU's stand is very clear. We want to know how the government of India and Arunachal will keep the Chakmas and the Hajongs after the promulgation of the act."
He lamented that the elected representatives of the state and the Northeast, "who people had faith in," voted in favour of the Citizenship Bill.
"We appeal to the government of Arunachal to be vigilant at the check gates as there is the possibility of a rise in the influx of illegal immigrants in view of the protests in Assam," Mr Bagang said.
Demanding that the government clarify its stand on the Chakma-Hajong issue, AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said "The BJP government has sown the seed of discord in the Northeast. The BJP government wants to divide the Northeast states through the Citizenship Act as some of the states and their areas are exempted from the Citizenship Act."
Mr Dai also said several people of Arunachal are stranded in Assam and other parts of the Northeast because of the protests in Assam. He appealed to the protestors in Assam not to hurt the people of Arunachal who are stranded in that state.
The student organisations demanded an answer from the state's parliamentarians for voting in favour of the Citizenship Act
The organisations later submitted a representation to the governor, demanding that either the Citizenship Act be scrapped immediately, or that the entire Northeast region be exempted from it.
The protesters also demanded that the state government wake up from its slumber.
"How would exemption of Arunachal from the Citizenship Act protect the state from illegal immigrants? How come the state government thinks that Arunachal would be safe when neighbouring Assam is in the midst of chaos?" said a protester.
"The government and our people are living under the illusion that exemption from the Citizenship Act would keep Arunachal out of trouble. We have the longest porous boundary with Assam, and controlling (the entry of) illegal immigrants is humanly impossible if Assam is swamped with Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Afghans," he added.
The student organisations demanded an answer from the state's parliamentarians, Kiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao, for voting in favour of the Citizenship Act.
The Assam Students' Association, the Assam Students' Forum and the Assam Research Scholars' Forum of RGU and the NERIST had also organised a protest march on Thursday in the university campus, demanding scrapping of the Citizenship Act, which was recently passed by both the houses of parliament.
Earlier, addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club, the AAPSU demanded that the state government clarify the status of the Chakma and Hajong refugees after the promulgation of the Citizenship Act in parliament.
Addressing the press persons, AAPSU president Hawa Bagang said, "The government of India did not listen to the people of the Northeast despite the massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Though Arunachal Pradesh is exempted from the Act, we are not happy."
He said "the AAPSU's stand is very clear. We want to know how the government of India and Arunachal will keep the Chakmas and the Hajongs after the promulgation of the act."
He lamented that the elected representatives of the state and the Northeast, "who people had faith in," voted in favour of the Citizenship Bill.
"We appeal to the government of Arunachal to be vigilant at the check gates as there is the possibility of a rise in the influx of illegal immigrants in view of the protests in Assam," Mr Bagang said.
Demanding that the government clarify its stand on the Chakma-Hajong issue, AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said "The BJP government has sown the seed of discord in the Northeast. The BJP government wants to divide the Northeast states through the Citizenship Act as some of the states and their areas are exempted from the Citizenship Act."
Mr Dai also said several people of Arunachal are stranded in Assam and other parts of the Northeast because of the protests in Assam. He appealed to the protestors in Assam not to hurt the people of Arunachal who are stranded in that state.