Itanagar, May 28: Normal life remained disrupted across the Itanagar Capital Region on Thursday following a 24-hour bandh called by the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO), bringing fresh focus on growing concerns in the Northeast over alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants and demographic anxiety in border states.

The shutdown, which began at 5 am on Thursday and will continue till 5 am on May 29, affected movement of vehicles, business establishments and daily activities across parts of the capital region.

APIYO said the bandh was aimed at pressuring the government to act against allegedly unauthorised structures and suspected illegal migrants residing in the state. The organisation claimed its campaign against alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants has been continuing since 2023 as part of what it described as an effort to protect indigenous communities and safeguard Arunachal Pradesh’s demographic balance.

The protest comes at a time when the issue of illegal immigration has once again intensified across eastern and northeastern India, particularly after recent crackdowns and deportation drives in Assam and West Bengal. Political and social organisations in several northeastern states have increasingly expressed fears that stricter actions elsewhere could push undocumented migrants towards neighbouring states perceived to have comparatively weaker monitoring mechanisms.

In Arunachal Pradesh, these anxieties have acquired sharper political and social significance because of the state’s sensitive indigenous tribal composition and long-standing concerns over land, identity and cultural preservation.

APIYO president Taro Sonam Liyak said the organisation had repeatedly raised concerns regarding the legality of certain mosques and madrasas in areas such as the Nirjuli–Naharlagun belt and had appealed to authorities for action. According to the organisation, the bandh was called after repeated representations allegedly failed to produce any response from the administration.

The bandh, however, also triggered criticism from several quarters as it coincided with Eid celebrations, a national holiday during which banks and government offices remained closed. Critics alleged that the timing of the protest indirectly affected members of a community observing the festival.

Calling the shutdown “illegal and unlawful”, the District Magistrate of Capital Itanagar imposed restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, citing Supreme Court observations against forced shutdowns and disruptions to public life.

Despite the restrictions, the bandh witnessed visible impact in parts of the capital region through the day.

The developments reflect a larger trend unfolding across the Northeast, where concerns over migration, demographic change and indigenous identity are increasingly shaping political discourse and street mobilisation.

In states such as Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, organisations advocating protection of indigenous communities have continued to demand stronger border monitoring, verification drives and stricter action against undocumented migrants, arguing that the issue directly affects land rights, employment opportunities and cultural identity.

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