The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) on September 22 filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against alleged false prosecution and mental harassment of human rights defender Rup Singh Chakma, president of Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students Union (APCSU) by the deputy commissioner of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The APCSU claimed that on September 19, the additional deputy commissioner of Bordumsa issued a ‘summon’ to Rup Singh Chakma by WhatsApp to appear before him on September 20 pursuant to the direction of the DC, Changlang district dated August 23, 2022 to sign a bond under Section 107 CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973) for maintaining peace and tranquillity in the area.
“Rup Singh Chakma has been employed and working in Noida, Uttar Pradesh since June 2021 and is still working and living in Noida. He was not present in Arunachal Pradesh in August 2022. How could a person sitting in Noida break peace and tranquillity in Arunachal Pradesh? No inquiry was conducted to even find out whether Rup Singh Chakma lives in Arunachal Pradesh? The summon is nothing but an absolute abuse of power by the deputy commissioner,” CDFI founder Suhas Chakma said in a statement.
The CDFI in its complaint stated: “The summon issued to Rup Singh Chakma for execution of good behaviour bond U/S 107 CrPC for maintaining peace & tranquillity in the area as per direction of the deputy commissioner appears to harass him and aimed to silence him for raising his voice against injustice meted out to the Chakma community by the state government.”
“On March 23, Rup Singh Chakma and other Chakma HRDs briefed full commission of the National Human Rights Commission on their deplorable situation and further, on April 5, Rup Singh Chakma had organized a peaceful protest against racial discrimination and illegal census of the Chakma and Hajong communities by the state government of Arunachal Pradesh at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi,” the complaint stated
The CDFI further alleged that DC, Changlang Sunny K Singh has been “systematically targeting the Chakma rights defenders”. It urged the NHRC to direct DC to immediately withdraw the summon and award compensation of Rs 1 lakh for false prosecution and mental harassment of Rup Singh Chakma.
