SHILLONG : Hynniewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum (HBDRF) has slammed the
Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) for not seriously following up on the inter-state boundary dispute with Assam and accused the party of treating the issue as an election agenda.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, spokesperson of the forum, Thomas Passah recollected the assurance of Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong who said that the priority of the MDA is to resolve the inter-state boundary dispute.
“He (Tynsong) said that it is the first priority of the MDA to resolve the boundary dispute but it has now suddenly disappeared from the list of priorities of the MDA. We are sad as we feel it is only an election agenda for them,” Passah said.
It may be mentioned that solution to the inter-state boundary dispute has been eluding the state for many years ever since the formation of Meghalaya.
Besides the state government, he criticised the Autonomous District Councils of Khasi and Jaintia Hills and said that the two ADCs do not have any land record even though they claim to be custodian of land.
“The functioning of the ADCs has been not up to the mark and there is no seriousness now and it is not fruitful at all”, Passah said.
He slammed the double standard of Meghalaya government for its design to manipulate the people in the inter-state boundary areas.
“There is a village that Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) refuses to recognise asserting that it does not fall under its jurisdiction although the people are a Pnar community. However, during elections in Meghalaya, the people were asked to vote and the address in the EPIC was given of a neighbouring village. It shows that they are used for political reasons”, he said.
Passah has called upon other organizations who have concern for the people residing in the border areas to unite. He also said that it was up to the border residents to pressurise the state and the Centre to resolve the matter.