ITANAGAR, 30 Sep: Strongly criticizing the Arunachal Pradesh government's handling of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), Indian Youth Congress national general secretary Tarh Johny said that the concerns of affected indigenous communities must not be overridden through administrative pressure or the use of security forces.

Criticizing the government's approach towards SUMP, Johny, who is also chairman of the North East Youth Congress Coordination Committee (NEYCCC), said, "This is dictatorship." He said that in a democracy, the government must listen to its own people.

"Development cannot be imposed through pressure or force when communities are demanding dialogue, transparency and meaningful consultation," the youth Congress leader said.

Johny said the SUMP process must involve genuine consultation with affected villages and indigenous institutions, with complete disclosure of its environmental, social, land and livelihood implications before any decision affecting the people's future is taken.

The NEYCCC chairman questioned: "If the CM can approach Delhi and the Union Government with urgency for SUMP in the name of national interest, why cannot the same urgency be shown when concerns are raised about the security of our frontier at Taksing?"

"Let our Army and security forces concentrate on their foremost responsibility - protecting India's territorial integrity and securing the international border. Strengthen roads, communications, logistics, patrol infrastructure and security facilities at Taksing and other vulnerable frontier areas," he said.

The youth Congress leader further said that reports concerning Chinese activity around Taksing remain disputed and should be addressed through transparent and credible verification. "If there are genuine security gaps, they must be identified and addressed immediately, while the people of the frontier deserve clear facts and confidence about their safety," Tarh Johny stressed.

"Arunachal Pradesh is both the ancestral homeland of indigenous communities and India's strategic frontier. National interest means protecting both the people and the territory. Development must be with the people, not against the people," he said.

Johny demanded genuine public dialogue with affected communities regarding SUMP-related activities and security deployment in a transparent manner, as well as strengthened border security and infrastructure at Taksing.