GUWAHATI, July 27: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has slammed the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state for the violence at Lailapur along the Assam-Mizoram border that resulted in six casualties, including five Assam police personnel besides injuries to over 40 other police personnel.
Addressing reporters here on Tuesday, newly-appointed APCC working president Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha said the fact that the incident only indicated failure of the state and central governments to establish peace in the inter-state boundary.
“More so, because it took place within 24 hours of the Union home minister’s visit to Shillong where he held discussions on various issues, including border disputes, with the chief ministers of the Northeast states,” Purkayastha said.
“As North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener, the Assam chief minister apparently has good relations with chief ministers of the other northeastern states. But the reality is different. Mizoram has encroached on different areas along the border. People are living in insecurity. A government which cannot provide security to its people should resign,” he asserted.
Earlier, the Assam PCC members offered their condolences to the families of the deceased and wished speedy recovery for those injured.
Meanwhile, the All India Congress Committee has constituted a seven-member committee to assess the ground situation at Lailapur (Cachar district).
Newly-appointed APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah, CLP leader in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia, MP Pradyut Bordoloi, Deputy CLP leader in Assam Assembly Rakibul Hussain, MP Gaurav Gogoi; All India Mahila Congress Committee Sushmita Dev; and APCC working president Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha are the panel members.
“A detailed report of the same shall be submitted to the party thereafter,” AICC general Secretary, Jitendra Singh stated in a notification.
Former minister Siddique Ahmed, while addressing the media conference here, said border problems with Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya are not new.
“Years ago, we saw Nagaland people attack Assam Police at Merapani, killing several personnel. At the time I was the border minister and our then chief minister made it clear that not an inch of our land should be occupied. This is no longer the case now,” Ahmed said.
“One and half years back, when Sarbananda Sonowal was the chief minister, we saw Mizoram destroy tea bushes in large areas of our land. We were also attacked by mobs armed with machetes,” he said.