Hundreds of students and activists on Saturday gheraoed Arunachal Bhawan in New Delhi to protest against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), demanding the release of all detainees, withdrawal of the project and removal of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed amid the unrest in Arunachal Pradesh.
The demonstration, organised under the banners of Himkhand and Youth for Change, saw protesters raising anti-dam slogans and calling for an immediate end to the alleged crackdown on those opposing the project. The Delhi Police detained several demonstrators, including Siang hydropower activist Katon Moyong, popularly known as Aborman.
A heavy police deployment was witnessed outside Arunachal Bhawan as the protest brought the movement against the proposed hydropower project to the national capital.
The demonstration comes amid escalating tensions in Arunachal Pradesh, where indigenous communities and student organisations have intensified their opposition to the project, citing concerns over displacement, loss of ancestral land, ecological damage and threats to their cultural identity.
The Pema Khandu-led BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh has been seeking to advance the proposed project, which is envisaged as a major hydropower and multipurpose infrastructure initiative. However, opposition groups maintain that the concerns of affected communities must be addressed before any further steps are taken.
Students, activists stage anti-Siang dam protest in Delhi
