IndiaFollowing violent protests in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, regarding the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Hydropower Project, the Indian central government dispatched approximately 250 Rapid Action Force personnel from Navi Mumbai to restore order. The Ministry of Home Affairs ordered the airlift of these Central Reserve Police Force units after mobs torched the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation office, a local police station, and the residences of several political leaders, including the state BJP chief. Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the violence while acknowledging the right to peaceful protest, noting that a 12-hour bandh had initially remained calm before unrest began. The conflict highlights a divide between the state government, which views the dam as a strategic countermeasure to upstream Chinese hydropower developments, and local residents who fear displacement, ecological damage, and the loss of ancestral lands. Although authorities insist that no final decision has been made to build the dam and that only feasibility surveys are underway, protesters argue that initiating such studies paves the way for irreversible changes to the Siang valley.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced overview of the incident by citing official government actions alongside the specific grievances of the protesters. It attributes claims directly to relevant parties, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs for the troop deployment and Chief Minister Pema Khandu for his
