Itanagar, May 30: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has announced a statewide protest campaign against illegal immigration, warning that unchecked infiltration could destabilise the demographic and cultural identity of Arunachal Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, AAPSU General Secretary Ritum Tali said the agitation will begin on June 9 with coordinated dharnas and rallies across all district headquarters A mass referendum is planned in the Itanagar Capital Region on June 16.

“The decision was taken during a recent meeting at NEFA Club, where we adopted a four-point resolution,” Tali stated. “Our key demand is the immediate purification of the state’s electoral rolls by removing names of non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (non-APST) individuals and illegal immigrants.”

AAPSU has also called for a comprehensive policy on the identification and deportation of undocumented migrants. The union named several communities, including the Chakma-Hajong, Bangladeshi Muslims, Nepali, Bhutanese, and Tibetan settlers, in their demand for scrutiny.

The student body is seeking cabinet-level approval for a proposed three-tier verification mechanism aimed at ensuring only eligible voters are retained on the electoral rolls.

The campaign coincides with a recent directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which has instructed all states and Union Territories to verify the credentials of individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar claiming Indian citizenship.

AAPSU has long maintained that failure to address illegal immigration threatens the indigenous rights and demographic stability of Arunachal Pradesh.