Four issues. One state. And a party that says it has been ignored long enough.
The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has formally urged Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to take up four critical issues concerning the state when Parliament is in session — a move that signals growing frustration within the party over what it calls the consistent failure of both the Central and state BJP governments to protect Arunachal’s people, land, and future.
A Constitution That Doesn’t Go Far Enough
At the heart of the memorandum — submitted by APCC president Bosiram Siram during an All India Congress Committee review meeting in New Delhi — is a demand to amend Article 371(H) of the Constitution. The state Congress argues that unlike Article 371(A) that safeguards Nagaland and Article 371(G) that protects Mizoram, the existing provision for Arunachal Pradesh falls short when it comes to protecting tribal land, customary laws, and natural resources. The party is also pushing for stronger constitutional protections similar to the Sixth Schedule — measures that would meaningfully strengthen tribal self-governance and indigenous rights. This isn’t a new demand, but the urgency behind it feels sharper now.
The Siang Dam Debate Is Far From Over
The party reiterated its opposition to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) — and did so without mincing words. The Congress called out the mega dam project as a looming ecological disaster waiting to happen in one of the most seismically active zones in the country. What makes this even more significant is the scale of the potential human cost — over two lakh people could be displaced, and ancestral lands, including the culturally revered Kekar Monying site, could be submerged forever. The party also pushed back firmly against the argument that China’s upstream dam activities justify overriding the free, prior, and informed consent of local communities. That’s a point many tribal voices in the Siang belt have been making for years now.
China, Borders, and “Selective Nationalism”
The memorandum took direct aim at the BJP’s handling of the China border situation, accusing it of practising what the Congress called “selective nationalism.” The party demanded that the Centre release a White Paper detailing the actual ground situation along Arunachal’s international border — a demand that reflects deep-seated anxieties in the state about territorial integrity and transparency.
Bringing Back the Old Pension Scheme
Rounding out the memorandum was a push for restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for state government employees. The Congress slammed the current National Pension System (NPS), arguing it leaves workers financially vulnerable after retirement.
Siram’s closing message to Rahul Gandhi was clear — Arunachal Pradesh is not just a resource-rich frontier to be managed from Delhi. It is home to distinct indigenous communities whose rights, land, and dignity deserve to be defended in the highest chamber of the nation. Whether that message echoes through Parliament’s halls remains to be seen.
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