Guwahati: The capital region of Arunachal Pradesh is facing massive outrage against the illegal settlers and construction of unauthorised mosque structures. Government has announced that it has taken action against 15 illegal mosques.Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) has raised concern over unauthorised mosques and called for two-day bandh.Minister for Education, Parliamentary Affairs and Government spokesperson P D Sona told media persons, “ On 27 January 2026, APIYO met the Chief Minister Pema Khandu and raised concerns regarding unauthorised mosque structures.He said, “The Government immediately directed the administration to identify all such structures and act as per law. Around 15 unauthorised mosque structures were identified in the Capital Complex. Around 12 were sealed or vacated by the District Administration after due legal process.”He added, “On 1 June 2026: The Chief Minister again met the APIYO leadership to review the remaining three cases. On Thursday the remaining three structures were also sealed. The issue that formed the basis of the proposed bandh has already been resolved through lawful administrative action. The public deserves to know the facts. It is therefore hoped that the bandh call will be withdrawn in the larger public interest.”On May 28 a 24-hour Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) bandh called by APIYO disrupted normal life. The organisation is mulling to call for another 48-hour bandh.Sona said that Arunachal shares an interstate border and illegal immigrants are a concern.”On May 27 last, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu assured that the State Government would work collectively with all stakeholders to arrive at concrete and long-term solutions on issues relating to indigenous tribal rights, demographic concerns, Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulation and APST-related matters.Addressing a high-level consultative meeting the Chief Minister described the deliberations as “historic”, with participation from all major stakeholders including community-based organisations (CBOs), student bodies, legal experts, civil society representatives, political leaders and senior government officials.The marathon meeting, which continued for nearly seven-and-a-half hours without interruption, was attended by representatives of the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, ST Bachao Andolan Committee, political parties and senior officers from the Home Department, Law Department, Political Department, Directorate of Indigenous Affairs and other concerned departments.The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the ST Bachao Andolan Committee for drawing the Government’s attention towards what he termed as a “long-burning issue” that has remained unresolved for years despite repeated discussions in the past.He stated that the concerns raised are not unique to Arunachal Pradesh alone but are part of a larger national challenge linked to illegal immigration, demographic changes and threats to indigenous identity and cultural preservation.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address from the Red Fort on 15 August 2025, the Chief Minister said the Union Government has already recognised demographic imbalance and illegal immigration as serious concerns impacting law and order, indigenous culture and national security.He had informed the gathering that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has recently notified a national-level High-Level Committee on Demographic Change comprising a retired judge, retired IAS and IPS officers and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, indicating that the issue is receiving serious attention at the national level.The Chief Minister stated that the State Government has, in principle, accepted the four major demands placed during the meeting, including the long-standing demand for creation of a separate department dedicated to management and regulation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR).Announcing the Government’s in-principal approval for creation of a separate ILP Department, the Chief Minister said the proposal had been consistently advocated by both AAPSU and the ST Bachao Andolan Committee.The Chief Minister also acknowledged concerns regarding demographic change and its impact on indigenous tribal culture, traditions and identity, stating that preservation of Arunachal Pradesh’s unique cultural heritage remains a collective responsibility.