Agartala, Mar 7: Over two lakh voices filled Borum Ground on March 06, 2025, as the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) staged a massive protest against the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) of 1978, demanding an end to a law they see as a relic of oppression in a modern democracy. The peaceful demonstration, held just outside the state capital of Itanagar, marked a significant escalation in the Christian community’s opposition to the anti-conversion legislation, which has resurfaced after decades of dormancy due to a Gauhati High Court directive in September 2024 mandating its implementation.
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It is learned that the rally which was originally planned outside the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly during the ongoing budget session, the protest shifted to Borum after authorities denied permission, yet the change in venue did little to dampen the resolve of the estimated 200,000 participants who gathered to voice their dissent.
The ACF, representing a broad coalition of Christian denominations, has long argued that the APFRA unfairly targets their community, which constitutes 30.26% of Arunachal Pradesh’s population per the 2011 Census. The 1978 law prohibits conversions by force, fraud, or inducement, but ACF President Tarh Miri condemned it as “targeted and discriminatory” during his address to the crowd, asserting that it violates the constitutional right to freedom of religion under Article 25. “This is not a fight against anyone; it is a stand for our rights,” Miri emphasized, urging the state government to repeal what he called a “draconian act.” ACF Secretary General James Techi Tara warned that enforcing the law could “create hatred among people,” threatening the state’s religious harmony—a sentiment that resonated with the massive turnout drawn from across districts and denominations.
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The protest followed months of mounting tension, including an eight-hour hunger strike by the ACF on February 17, 2025, at NIIS Nyokum Ground in Borum, and a meeting with state Home Minister Mama Natung on February 21, which failed to yield a resolution. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, responding to the demonstration, urged citizens “not to misinterpret” the APFRA, insisting that the government was simply complying with the High Court’s order to frame rules for its enforcement. “The department concerned and the state government are abiding by the court’s orders, and the initial draft is being prepared,” Khandu stated. However, this explanation drew sharp criticism from the ACF, with Miri dismissing it and pointing to Khandu’s unfulfilled 2018 promise to repeal the law—a pledge that now stands in stark contrast to the government’s current stance.