Arunachal CM reaffirms implementation of anti-conversion law
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has reiterated that the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), 1978, will be implemented in compliance with the Gauhati High Court's directive to frame rules for its enforcement.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Inter-Tribe Festival 2025 in Itanagar, Khandu clarified that the law is not aimed at any particular religion. He urged the youth and members of the Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) to dispel misconceptions surrounding APFRA.
“We are a secular country. A Buddhist can become a Hindu if they wish. Any Hindu can become an Indigenous Faith believer. Likewise, any Indigenous Faith believer can become a Christian or Hindu. It’s a personal choice, and this Act will not take away this freedom,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that while the government is bound by the High Court’s directive to frame rules for APFRA, the process will involve consultations with all religious communities in the state.
Protests against APFRA implementation
The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF), the apex body representing Christians in the state, has been protesting against the law, fearing it could curtail religious freedom. Thousands of people under the ACF banner staged a peaceful dharna near Itanagar on March 6, opposing the law’s implementation.
Earlier, on February 17, the ACF held an eight-hour hunger strike at NIIS Nyokum Ground in Borum, Naharlagun Circle. ACF President Tarh Miri stated that over two lakh Christians, cutting across denominations, gathered at Borum on March 6 to voice their concerns.
Amid the ongoing agitation, ACF leaders met Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung on February 21. However, the discussions remained inconclusive. After the meeting, Miri said the Home Minister assured them that the government would continue talks with ACF while proceeding with the High Court’s directive.
According to the 2011 Census, Christians make up 30.26% of Arunachal Pradesh’s population, numbering around 4.19 lakh out of the total 13.84 lakh residents.
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Trump pauses Project Freedom, claims great progress for final agreement with Iran
Washington (PTI): President Donald Trump has suspended “Project Freedom,” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming progress in negotiations with Iran toward an agreement to end the war.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said, “Great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with representatives of Iran.”
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump said.
Project Freedom was launched on Monday to escort ships, stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, out to safety. Trump had announced the operation on Sunday and the US Central Command began implementing it the next day.
However, the Project led to friction in the vicinity of the narrow seaway, a key route for transporting one-fifth of the global oil supplies, with the UAE claiming that its ships were attacked by Iran. The US also claimed to have destroyed several Iranian small boats.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Operation Epic Fury, launched on February 28, had concluded as its objectives have been achieved.
"Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We're not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What @POTUS would prefer is a deal... that is, so far, not the route that Iran has chosen," Rubio told a press conference at the White House on Tuesday.
On Project Freedom, Rubio said the goal was to rescue almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries who were trapped inside the Persian Gulf and left for dead by the Iranian regime.
"This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation, and what that means is very simple: there’s no shooting unless we're shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they're attacking us or they’re attacking a ship, you need to respond to that," Rubio said.
