Chief Minister Pema Khandu while responding to queries from reporters said that the Tawang church issue is not a religious issue but a land issue. “First of all, it is not a religious issue. This is totally a land matter, but people are calling it the ‘church issue’ and giving it a religious angle,” he said.

“India as a whole and Arunachal particularly is a very secular state. It is basically a land issue, but since the matter has moved far ahead, the government has constituted a committee, which has been directed to submit its finding within six months,” the CM said.

It is to be noted that on 6 October, Tawang Revival church pastor Joseph Singhi was arrested by the Tawang police on the basis of an FIR lodged by the district land revenue & survey officer, allegedly for illegally constructing a church. The incident sparked widespread condemnation from the Christian community in the state.

On 12 November, the state government constituted a three-member committee, headed by WRD Minister Mama Natung, to work out a solution to the Tawang church issue. As per the order issued by the political department, the team will assess the ground situation and hold detailed discussions with all the stakeholders.