Pasighat: The Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) announced a 12-hour bandh in Arunachal’s Siang and Upper Siang districts during a press briefing held at Boleng, Siang District, on Thursday.
The bandh will take place on September 22, 2025, from 5 am to 5 pm.
AdiSU leaders stated that the bandh is part of a democratic protest to press for their long-standing demands, which they described as “legitimate and urgent.”
Key Demands Raised by AdiSU:
- Immediate removal of the allegedly illegal deployment of paramilitary forces in Siang and Upper Siang districts.
- Eviction of illegal encroachments on government school premises across various areas of the Siang district.
- Revocation of suspension orders issued against eight GBs/HGBs by the Deputy Commissioner of Siang district.
- Halt all Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) activities for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) until all 31 affected villages in Siang and Upper Siang districts are properly consulted and convinced.
AdiSU President Jirbo Jamoh and Speaker-cum-Issue Chairman Kalen Tadeng informed the media that the union had earlier submitted its demands to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office at Boleng, as well as to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in Itanagar on August 25.
They followed up with a reminder letter on September 11, warning that they would initiate a democratic movement if the government failed to respond.
“We submitted a memorandum of ultimatum to the Chief Minister’s Office with a four-point demand on August 25, 2025. Despite repeated follow-ups, the government has not responded. Left with no alternative, we have decided to launch a democratic protest against the step-motherly treatment of the people of Upper Siang, Siang, East Siang, and the Adi community at large,” said Jamoh and Tadeng.
Exemptions from the Bandh
AdiSU clarified that it will exempt exam-going students and teachers from the bandh.
The union will also allow essential services to operate, including:
- Magistrates on duty
- Milk vans
- Military movement
- Medical emergencies
The bandh is also intended as a peaceful democratic expression of regional grievances, the union leaders emphasized.