Editor,
The recent submission of the draft rules under the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978, has reignited public debate across the state. Many believe that implementing the Act will help protect indigenous customs, traditions, and identity. Yet an important question remains: can a law primarily intended to regulate religious conversion truly safeguard indigenous culture?
When the APFRA was enacted in 1978, Arunachal Pradesh was vastly different. Educational opportunities were limited, access to information was scarce, and concerns regarding conversion through force, fraud, or inducement were viewed differently. Today, however, the state has evolved significantly. Its people are more educated, informed, and capable of making independent choices regarding matters of faith and belief.
This raises a legitimate question: are the circumstances that justified the Act nearly five decades ago still the same today? More importantly, can the Act and its proposed rules effectively address the challenges facing indigenous traditions and identity?
Culture and religion are not synonymous. Indigenous identity is sustained through language, customary laws, traditional institutions, folklores, festivals, and intergenerational knowledge. The preservation of these foundations requires more than legal regulation of religious conversion. Strengthening indigenous languages, promoting cultural education, documenting customary practices, and empowering traditional institutions may prove far more effective in preserving heritage.
The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion, subject to reasonable restrictions. Any law dealing with religion must therefore be implemented with due regard to constitutional values and individual freedoms.
The debate on the APFRA should move beyond emotion and focus on a more fundamental issue: whether the Act, in its present form, is capable of protecting indigenous traditions in contemporary Arunachal. Protecting heritage is undoubtedly important, but meaningful preservation requires a broader cultural, educational, and social approach.
Ultimately, the future of Arunachal’s rich heritage will depend not merely on legislation, but on the collective efforts of communities, institutions, and future generations to keep their traditions alive while respecting the constitutional rights of all.
Kapang Miyu