Members of the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) are scheduled to go on an eight-hour fast on Monday (February 17, 2025) to protest the planned implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act or APFRA of 1978.
The ACF is the apex body of Christians in Arunachal Pradesh belonging to different denominations.
In December 2024, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the APFRA would be implemented after its rules are framed. This followed a directive from the Gauhati High Court to the State government to finalise the draft rules of the Act within six months from September 2024.
An ACF spokesperson said members of its parent body and its district units will sit on a hunger strike from 9 a.m. in their respective district and sub-divisional headquarters. In the State’s capital Itanagar, the protest will be held at the festival ground of the Nyishi community.
“Some Christian legislators are expected to join us to show solidarity,” the spokesperson said.
The ACF said there will be a series of protests, including laying siege to the 60-member State Assembly during its Budget session in March, to convey the displeasure of the Christians about a “biased” piece of legislation.
On February 15, Mr Khandu assured critics of the APFRA that the rules being framed following the high court’s directive are not against any religious community – Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, or Muslims. Calling for dialogues, he insisted the government intended to provide greater support to the people following indigenous faiths.
The State Assembly passed the APFRA during the Janata Party government headed by Chief Minister P.K. Thungon. It received the presidential assent on October 25, 1978.
The Act seeks to prohibit conversions from one religion to another through force, inducement, or fraud. It prescribes imprisonment of up to two years and fines of up to ₹10,000 for violations.
It was reportedly enacted in response to concerns about the perceived threat to indigenous religions in the State. Successive governments chose to overlook the Act.
