TOPIC OF THE DAY:-“Calming Arunachal”
The polity must foster a civic consciousness to allow equality of opportunity for all residents
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Itanagar has decided not to act on the recommendations of a Joint High Power Committee granting permanent resident certificates (PRCs) to non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes of Namsai and Changlang districts. This decision follows violence in Itanagar, which included arson attacks on the residence of the Deputy Chief Minister. The government took this step to de-escalate tensions despite the fact that both mainstream parties, the Congress and the BJP, were on the same page on the demand to grant the PRCs. The non-APSTs include the Deoris, SonowalKacharis, Morans, Mishings, Adivasis and ex-servicemen belonging to the Gorkha community. Successive governments and members of these communities have said PRCs are needed to avail of job and educational opportunities elsewhere in the country, and currently the 26 tribes and numerous sub-tribes who claim to be native to Arunachal Pradesh enjoy this privilege. Members of some of the non-APST communities have been long-time residents of the reconstituted State, and to term them as “outsiders” reflects a chauvinistic mindset that denies a just demand. Previous governments, including one led by the Congress in 2010, had also buckled under pressure on the issue. The indigenous tribes opposing the move say this is one step away from providing Scheduled Tribe status for the non-APSTs, which they vociferously oppose. While this fear is overblown, the award of PRCs could ensureland rights that are otherwise denied to the non-APSTs.
The fact that the opposition to the demand took such a violent turn could be linked to aretaliation to attempts by the members of the non-APSTs to enforce an “economic blockade” of the State from the neighbouring parts of Assam last month. But these incidents suggest thatbarely any northeastern State is today free of the pattern of ethnic discord marked by some communities being branded “outsiders” and sought to be denied resident privileges. These include the Chakma issue in Mizoram, the hill versus valley disturbances in Manipur, the longstanding “migration” issue in Assam, the attacks on Sikh residents in Meghalaya, and even the Chakma/Hajong citizenship issue in Arunachal Pradesh itself. The pattern through all these iseerily similar, with ethnic identities trumping civic consciousness in bringing about discord that has even escalated into violence in some cases. Arunachal Pradesh has otherwise remained a peaceful State, and it is incumbent on the government and the polity to foster a civic consciousness that allows equality of opportunity for all residents in the State. This is a difficult task as identity issues persist and fester when there is inadequate economic development – which is the real bane of the Northeast today.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) escalate
Meaning : make or become more intense or serious(v).
Synonyms : expand
Antonyms : decline
Example : “the disturbance escalated into a full-scale riot”
2) despite
Meaning : contemptuous treatment or behaviour; outrage(n).
Synonyms : against
Antonyms : exalt
Example : “the despite done by him to the holy relics”
3) claim
Meaning : state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof(v).
Synonyms : allegation
Antonyms : reply
Example : “the Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt”
4) privilege
Meaning : a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group(n).
Synonyms : authorization
Antonyms : handicap
Example : “education is a right, not a privilege”
5) denies
Meaning : state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of(v).
Synonyms : rebuff
Antonyms : accept
Example : “both firms deny any responsibility for the tragedy”
6) indigenous
Meaning : originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native(adj).
Synonyms : endemic
Antonyms : alien
Example : “the indigenous peoples of Siberia”
7) vociferously
Meaning : in a loud and forceful manner.
Synonyms : powerfully
Antonyms : inaudibly
Example : “the country vociferously opposed the war”
8) ensure
Meaning : make certain that (something) will occur or be the case(v).
Synonyms : assure
Antonyms : endanger
Example : “the client must ensure that accurate records are kept”
9) retaliation
Meaning : the action of returning a military attack; counter-attack(n).
Synonyms : reprisal
Antonyms : pardon
Example : “the bombings are believed to be in retaliation for the trial of 15 suspects”
10) enforce
Meaning : compel observance of or compliance with (a law, rule, or obligation).
Synonyms : implement
Antonyms : cease
Example : “the role of the police is to enforce the law”
11) barely
Meaning : only just; almost not(adv).
Synonyms : scarcely
Example : “she nodded, barely able to speak”
12) ethnic
Meaning : relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition(adj).
Synonyms : traditional
Example : “ethnic and cultural rights and traditions”
13) discord
Meaning : disagreement between people.
Synonyms : disharmony
Antonyms : accord
Example : “a prosperous family who showed no signs of discord”
14) sought
Meaning : attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something)(v).
Synonyms : desired
Example : “the new regime sought his extradition”
15) eerily
Meaning : in a strange and frightening manner(adv).
Synonyms : creepily
Antonyms : ordinarily
Example : “their footsteps echoed eerily”
16) incumbent
Meaning : necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility(adj).
Synonyms : binding
Antonyms : unnecessary
Example : “the government realized that it was incumbent on them to act”
17) persist
Meaning : continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition(v).
Synonyms : endure
Antonyms : cease
Example : “the minority of drivers who persist in drinking”
18) fester
Meaning : (of a wound or sore) become septic; suppurate(v).
Synonyms : aggravate
Antonyms : delight
Example : “I developed a tropical sore that festered badly”
