Assam-Meghalaya border dispute
SHILLONG: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) North Khasi Hills on Thursday demanded the State government to go beyond the status quo if it is serious in solving the long-pending border dispute between Meghalaya and Assam.
“Meghalaya is the only side that has maintained the status-quo and the same is not being followed by its counterpart,” KSU-NKH president, Ferdinal Kharkamni told reporters here on Thursday.
The union who met the Home Minister, Roshan Warjri here on Thursday along with the Syiem of Hima Nongspung and Raid Nongtung said that they expected positive results from the Assam Meghalaya chief secretary level meet on boundary dispute due this month.
“We want the meet scheduled to be held later this month to go beyond the status quo and should reach to a solution which could ease this decades-old border row,” Kharkamni said adding that many CS level meet ends with both sides agreeing to maintain status quo at the disputed area and Assam ends up violating the status quo time and again.
Citing instances of the toll gate erected by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council, (KADC) and setting up of bank by Assam in block -I and II area of Ri-bhoi district, the KSU leader said that the actions on the part of Assam is a clear encroachment and violation of status-quo surfacing every now and then.
It may be recalled that members of the village populace residing in the disputed Block-i and II area had earlier under the banner of Block -II Area Peace and Development Association, BAPDA had expressed their willingness to settle as a part of any of the state citing peace and development as their major concern.
“Setting up of bank is just a ploy of the Assam government to project Sabuda as a part of Assam,” said Kharkamni.
Mentionably, the Chief Secretary had recently reacted to the reports of intervention by NGO’s at Sabuda in Block-II stating that the issue is sensitive and complex and such interventions will not help solve the problem in any way.
Besides, the KSU on Thursday also demanded the State government to stretch the outpost in the disputed areas of Block I and II to prevent any kind of encroachment of the Assam government at the same time, to address the problem of dual registration of EPIC cards.
Kharkamni also asked the government to take up the matter seriously with the Union Home Ministry for further actions on its part, the same of which the Home Minister has assured to examine