Northeast Elected Representatives' Homes Targeted By Mob Fury

Tensions are rising in Arunachal Pradesh over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, with protesters demanding the release of detained activists and the withdrawal of cases linked to the anti-dam agitation.

The protests have led to the targeting of elected representatives' homes, including the ancestral home of Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering, which was allegedly vandalised and looted.

This is not an isolated incident, as similar attacks have occurred in Manipur, where irate mobs set fire to the residences of three BJP legislators and a Congress MLA.

Advocate AM Iktear Uddin has stated that democracy protects the right to protest, but not the right to destroy, and that justice must be delivered through institutions, not intimidation or arson.

There are laws that can be invoked against such acts, including charges relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, and liability arising from the common object of an unlawful assembly.

The targeting of elected representatives' private properties during protests in the Northeast deserves greater national attention, as it raises concerns about the limits of protest and the protection of individual rights.