A graffiti artist and a lawyer were arrested by Arunachal Pradesh police on charges of defacing a mural on the boundary wall of the state civil secretariat with words against big dam projects in the hills state.
Nilim Mahanta, an artist from North Lakhimpur district of neighbouring Assam was arrested from his home while E Mili, a lawyer based in Arunachal Pradesh's Itanagar was picked up on Sunday.
Mahanta allegedly drew a resistance logo over the mural of a hydroelectric project with words saying "no more dams". This angered the ruling BJP government that was projecting the dams constructed for hydropower projects as part of its infrastructure development initiatives. The mural, named as "Wall of Harmony" project, was drawn on the wall of the state civil secretariat as part of a celebration of the 50 years of Arunachal Pradesh's statehood.
Inspector general of police (law and order) Chukhu Apa told reporters in Itanagar on Monday that both have been booked under section 425 (mischief) and Section 35 IPC (criminal act done intentionally) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984. "Both the sections and non-bailable. They have damaged a public property which belongs to all," he said. The lawyer allegedly invited Mahanta to Itanagar.
The anti-dam message, however, was welcomed by environmental activists and many civil society organisations who have been opposing big dam projects in the ecologically sensitive state. They fear that such big dams would have an adverse impact on the state and in the downstream areas like Lakhimpur in Assam. Mahanta is a resident of North Lakhimpur.
Lalhimpur also has witnessed a strong movement against the big dams being constructed in Arunachal Pradesh.
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