BJP-RSS ecosystem uses “indigenous” as per its political convenience. In fact, it has mastered the art of co-opting and weaponising indigeneity. In Assam, it uses “indigenous” as a communal filter to segregate Bengali Muslims from Assamese Hindu, Assamese Muslims, Bengali Hindu, Hindi-speaking Hindus and ST/tribal communities. It does so because it generally works well in Assam. But they quickly sideline the concept the moment one of these “indigenous” communities uses the label to oppose BJP, RSS or one of their crony corporate allies. Look at Kaziranga and elsewhere, for example, where development threatens ‘indigenous’ land – just like in Arunachal.