Court Ruling Ignites Christian Outcry in Arunachal Pradesh

Agartala: A court ruling in 2024 brought new attention to a law in Arunachal Pradesh that had been inactive for nearly 50 years. The Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA) was originally passed to protect traditional practices, but its revival has led to protests from the state’s Christian community. Through hunger strikes and plans to demonstrate near the state assembly, they are opposing what they see as a threat to their rights and place in society.

Why has this old law caused such a strong reaction? This report examines the reasons behind the protests, looking at the history, the law’s details, and the concerns driving the Christian response as of February 23, 2025.

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The APFRA was enacted on October 25, 1978, under Chief Minister P.K. Thungon’s Janata Party government, according to state legislative records. Arunachal Pradesh was a Union Territory then, becoming a state in 1987. It was introduced as tribal leaders raised concerns about Christian missionary activities, which had increased since India’s independence, as per studies of missionary work in Northeast India. Missionaries offered education and healthcare alongside religion, reaching tribes like the Nyishi and Adi, where indigenous faiths such as Donyi-Polo and animist practices were common. The Act, as outlined in its text, prohibits conversions by “force, inducement, or fraudulent means,” with penalties of up to two years in prison and a Rs 10,000 fine, and requires converts to report to district authorities. It was never enforced—its rules were not finalized—until a legal development in 2024 prompted action.

In September 2024, the Gauhati High Court, responding to a public interest litigation by advocate Tambo Tamin, directed the state to finalize the Act’s rules by March 2025, reports The Arunachal Times. According to The Economic Times, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, leading a BJP government, announced in December 2024 that the law would be implemented. This decision alarmed the Christian community, a significant group in the state. The 2011 Census, cited in government data, shows Christians make up 30.26% of Arunachal’s 1.38 million people—over 419,000—compared to 27% following indigenous faiths and 29% Hindus. Their numbers grew through missionary efforts since the 1950s, unlike the Christian majorities in Nagaland or Mizoram, making Arunachal’s mix of Buddhism, Hinduism, and tribal beliefs a diverse setting now facing tension over the APFRA.

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The protests are led by the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF), which has outlined several concerns, as shared in statements to The Hindu. They argue the Act conflicts with Article 25 of India’s Constitution, which protects the right to practice and share religion. ACF president Tarh Miri, quoted in The New Indian Express, said the law’s terms—”force,” “inducement,” and “fraud”—are unclear and could be applied to routine activities like offering education, potentially leading to legal trouble for pastors or converts. The requirement to report conversions to magistrates, the ACF notes in press conferences covered by Arunachal24, adds an administrative burden to a personal choice, which they see as restrictive.

The ACF also believes the law targets Christians, a view tied to its 1978 origins when it aimed to limit missionary influence, according to The Arunachal Times. ACF general secretary James Techi Tara, speaking to Northeast News, said that despite Chief Minister Khandu’s assurances of inclusivity—reported during Statehood Day 2025—the Act suggests Christians are not fully accepted as part of the state’s tribal identity. Many Christians belong to local tribes, but some indigenous faith advocates, as noted in The Economic Times, see Christianity’s growth as a challenge to traditional culture. The ACF maintains that their faith is part of Arunachal’s evolving identity, not a threat to it.

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Another worry is the potential for misuse. The ACF, in comments to Hindustan Times, said the Act’s broad language could allow officials to unfairly target Christians, citing examples from states like Uttar Pradesh documented in human rights reports. Tarh Miri, quoted by The New Indian Express, expressed concern that it could strain community relations in a state with 26 tribes. To press their case, the ACF began hunger strikes in January 2025, with a notable gathering on February 17 at Borum Nyokum Ground, per Arunachal24, and plans a march on March 6, 2025, during the assembly’s budget session, as announced in releases covered by India Today NE.

The state government defends the APFRA as a way to preserve tribal heritage, not to oppose any religion. Khandu, speaking at Statehood Day 2025 according to Northeast Today, said it reflects shared tribal roots, a point Home Minister Mama Natung repeated in discussions with the ACF, reported by Social News XYZ. They attribute their actions to the High Court’s order and have offered to consider changes to the law, though not to repeal it, per the February 21 meeting outcome in Social News XYZ. The ACF has rejected this, demanding full repeal, and points to Khandu’s 2018 suggestion of scrapping the law, noted by Arunachal24, as evidence of inconsistency, suggesting political motives tied to BJP policies, a view raised in The Hindu.

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This situation reflects wider debates in India about religion and tradition, as seen in anti-conversion laws elsewhere, as discussed by the JURIST. In Arunachal, the BJP focuses on tribal preservation rather than Hindu nationalism, though Christians remain cautious of national trends. The Northeast, with Christian-majority states like Nagaland rejecting the APFRA in 1978 per historical records, provides context for Arunachal’s unique position. The planned March protest, reported by India Today NE, highlights the ongoing stakes: identity, rights, and community relations.

The Christian protests stem from concerns about restrictions on their faith, a sense of being targeted, and fears of misuse. They see the APFRA as conflicting with their rights and place in Arunachal, despite the government’s view that it protects tribal culture. The offer of amendments has not resolved the disagreement, leaving a gap as hunger strikes continue and the assembly date nears, per The Arunachal Times.

It it worth noting that the Arunachal Pradesh has 46 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators in the 60-seat assembly, while the state is represented in the Indian Parliament by Kiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao, both from the BJP.

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