The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF), the apex Christian body of Arunachal Pradesh, has alleged that a public sector bank's digital banking software prevents Scheduled Tribe (ST) Christians from selecting their correct tribal category while opening accounts or updating KYC (Know Your Customer) details — instead routing them automatically to the 'General' category. The allegation was raised in a formal letter addressed to the bank authority on Wednesday, 8 October, in Itanagar.

What the ACF Has Alleged

According to the forum, when a customer selects 'Christian' under the religion field in the bank's digital account-opening and KYC applications, the system allegedly disables the 'Scheduled Tribe (ST)' option and redirects the user to the 'General' classification. The ACF described this alleged software behaviour as 'potentially discriminatory' and constitutionally problematic.

'If this is indeed the intention of a bank, it creates a serious concern for a person who has constitutional status as a Scheduled Tribe,' the forum said in its representation to the bank.

The Constitutional and Legal Argument

The ACF grounded its objection in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, which, as amended, contains a separate entry for Arunachal Pradesh listing the state's recognised tribes. The forum argued that this entry prescribes no religion-based exclusion — meaning a notified Scheduled Tribe member does not lose ST status by professing Christianity.

The forum further contended that a bank is not a competent authority to alter or strip a customer's ST status. 'The bank cannot de-list or automatically classify a tribal Christian customer under the General category solely because the customer is Christian and has truthfully declared his or her religion,' it said. The ACF also sought clarification on whether any law, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular, or regulatory instruction permits such a classification.

Key Demands Raised by the Forum

The ACF has urged the bank to examine its account-opening and KYC software to determine whether selecting Christianity as a religion automatically disables the ST category for tribal Christians in Arunachal Pradesh. It has also called on the bank to issue instructions to all its branches in Arunachal Pradesh ensuring that genuine ST Christian customers are not compelled to declare themselves as General category members on religious grounds.

'If no such statutory, regulatory or RBI instruction exists, the software logic should be corrected so that religion and Scheduled Tribe status are not incorrectly treated as mutually exclusive,' the forum stated.

Timeline and Warning

The ACF has given the bank a 15-day deadline from the date of the representation to communicate corrective action. If the issue remains unresolved beyond this period, the forum warned it would be 'compelled to gherao all the branches of that bank in Arunachal Pradesh' the following day. This escalation signal underscores the urgency the forum attaches to the matter.

Broader Significance

Arunachal Pradesh has a significant tribal Christian population, and the alleged software flaw — if confirmed — could affect a substantial number of residents seeking banking services or government-linked benefits tied to ST classification. This comes amid a broader national conversation around the intersection of religion and tribal identity, particularly in the northeastern states. Notably, the Supreme Court has addressed related questions around ST status and religion in several landmark cases, though no definitive ruling has categorically excluded tribal Christians from ST protections under Arunachal Pradesh's schedule. The bank's response, and any RBI guidance that may follow, will be closely watched across the region.