[ Bengia Ajum ]
PANGIN, 29 Aug: Members of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) and several others opposed to the construction of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) have reportedly been served summons notices by the police here.
On Friday, the police reportedly visited the house of Osong Jamoh, head of the SIFF in Riew village in Siang district. Jamoh was reportedly served a summons by the local police. He was not present at the house when the police visited. A video of police entering his home is going viral on social media, with people raising concerns over such high-handedness.
It is alleged that several others, including members of the SIFF, AdiSU, and social activists who oppose the SUMP, have been served summons by police after registering cases.
The legal adviser to SIFF, Bhanu Tatak, talking to this daily, alleged that police harassment is increasing. “They are filing different cases and harassing us. Anyone who opposes the SUMP is facing cases,” she alleged.
Tatak has also been summoned by the crime branch police station’s special investigation team to appear on 30 August in a case related to an FIR filed at the Boleng police station. She alleged that the filing of cases violates the fundamental right to protest as per the Constitution of India.
“This is not the first time I have been falsely criminalized. There is no substantial evidence to support what I keep getting accused of – as being the instigator of protests. I stand by my protests like all people in Siang who are also under similar cases. More than 400 general cases and around 45 individual cases have been registered against us for protesting the proposed SUMP, violating our fundamental right to protest as per the Constitution of India,” she said.
Further, she said that the government should use dialogue to resolve any issues that citizens raise.
“We live in a democracy, and false criminalization is an arbitrary abuse of power by the district authorities, which sets a bad precedent. We are a peace-loving community of the state and seek dialogue, not arbitrary abuse of power,” added Tatak.
Social activist Ebo Milli, too, has reportedly been served notice by the police.
The SIFF has been leading the protest against the proposed SUMP. At least 27 villages in Siang and Upper Siang districts would be directly impacted by the dam.
