Arunachal BJP backs SIR, says revision can check inflow of outsiders

The Arunachal Pradesh BJP has strongly backed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing it as a constitutional and legal exercise necessary to ensure accurate voter lists and safeguard the state's indigenous demographic interests.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, state party president Kaling Moyong said the revision was important to identify and remove ineligible entries from electoral rolls and check what he described as the inflow of outsiders and illegal migration.

Moyong, accompanied by BJP spokesperson and Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi, said the exercise would help protect the interests of indigenous communities while ensuring free, fair and transparent electoral representation.

He maintained that the SIR process was guided by the legal framework and was necessary to prevent electoral rolls from being influenced by ineligible voters.

The BJP has been campaigning in support of the revision across the state, including through press conferences in Itanagar and rallies such as the 'Loktantra Bachao' rally in Ziro, to explain the exercise and its significance.

On the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), Moyong addressed concerns over the possible displacement of communities in the Siang belt if the mega hydropower project is implemented.

He said the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) would provide a clearer picture of the project's viability and its likely implications. The state government would not proceed with the project if the report found it unfeasible, he said.

Moyong also stressed that the consent of the people would be the deciding factor in taking the project forward.

The proposed SUMP has faced opposition from sections of local communities and organisations in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly over concerns relating to displacement, environmental impact and the future of indigenous settlements in the Siang region.

Moyong's remarks come amid continuing debate over the project's feasibility and the concerns of communities likely to be affected by its implementation.