Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Meets Protesters After Dam Violence

Chief Minister Pema Khandu convened meetings with legislators, the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum, and other community organizations on Sunday to address escalating opposition to the 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). The unrest peaked on October 23 during a 12-hour shutdown in Pasighat, where protesters set fire to a police station and the offices of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). Mobs also vandalized the residences of political leaders, including state BJP President Kaling Moyong. Clashes between security forces and over 150 protesters left approximately 40 police personnel injured.

Indigenous groups, including the Adi Bane Kebang United and the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum, oppose the dam due to fears that it will submerge 27 villages, displace 150,000 people, and create seismic risks. They are demanding the cessation of pre-feasibility surveys and the release of arrested activists. In response to the violence, the central government deployed additional Rapid Action Force personnel, and prohibitory orders remain in effect in parts of East Siang district.

Khandu defended the project as a geostrategic necessity to create a water buffer against a 60,000-MW Chinese hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river. He clarified that current activities are limited to a Pre-Feasibility Report scheduled for November 2026 to January 2027 and do not constitute final approval for construction. While the Arunachal Pradesh Congress requested an independent inquiry into the police use of tear gas, Khandu has offered round-table discussions to bridge the information gap and reach a public consensus.