Congress demands scrapping of Siang hydropower project, release of arrested protesters

The Congress on Monday (November 2, 2026) demanded the scrapping of a proposed 11,200-MW hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh and the release of those who have been arrested for protesting against the construction of a dam on the Siang river.

In a statement, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee said no development project should be executed at the "cost of indigenous communities' ancestral land, identity, culture and livelihood" and asserted that prior consent from people likely to be affected by the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) was essential.

The party said, "Different groups but one voice; different organisations but one collective resolve - Stop SUMP, Save Siang." The APCC urged indigenous organisations, student unions, youth groups, civil society organisations and traditional institutions to unite against the proposed project.

The Congress expressed concern over the arrest of protesters, suspension of government employees and action against gaon buras (village headmen) opposing the project. It demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters, withdrawal of cases registered under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, revocation of suspension orders against government employees and withdrawal of cases against gaon buras.

The party also sought withdrawal of additional security personnel from the proposed project-affected areas, adequate compensation for those who suffered losses, and medical assistance and rehabilitation for injured protesters.

The APCC urged the State government and the Centre to restore peace in the Siang region through dialogue and confidence-building measures. The party appealed to all sections of society to "maintain unity and pursue the movement through peaceful and democratic means".

"Save Siang, save our land and save our people," it added. The project, envisioned as one of India's largest hydropower initiatives, has faced sustained opposition from sections of the indigenous Adi community, particularly residents of the proposed project-affected areas.

The opposition stems primarily from apprehensions over the submergence of ancestral villages, displacement, loss of agricultural land and forests, and the possible disruption of the community's traditional way of life.

According to reports, 27 villages could be submerged, while several dozen others may be affected. The project has also assumed strategic significance for the Centre, which views it as important in the context of China's proposed massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which enters India as the Siang.