Arunachal Congress Challenges Rijiju on SUMP, Border Security, and Youth Detentions

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) questioned Union Minister Kiren Rijiju over his alleged silence on key issues concerning the state, including the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), China's territorial claims, alleged irregularities in Frontier Highway land compensation and the detention of Arunachali youths in Delhi.

In a seven-point rebuttal to Rijiju's recent advice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, APCC spokesperson Kon Jirjo Jotham said the Union Minister should focus on addressing the concerns of his home state rather than advising the Opposition.

On SUMP, the Congress said the proposed project on the Siang river had raised concerns among indigenous communities over displacement, submergence of ancestral land, cultural loss and environmental risks. It claimed that more than 27 villages and over 1.5 lakh members of the Adi community could be affected. The party sought transparency on the project's feasibility, strategic necessity and disaster risks, along with meaningful consultation and consent from affected communities.

The Congress also sought the Centre's response to China's territorial claims and reported border-related concerns in the Taksing-Maza and Longju sectors. It demanded an independent probe into alleged irregularities in land compensation for the Lada-Chayangtajo stretch of the Frontier Highway.

The party further questioned Rijiju's absence when Delhi Police detained more than 40 Arunachali youths and students during protests against SUMP. It said APCC president Bosiram Siram and AICC in-charges intervened, leading to the release of the detainees, including activist Katon Moyong.

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