SHILLONG, July 28: Youth Congress units of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have issued a joint press communique today blaming the Assam Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for the ‘growing tension’ along inter-state boundary areas of Assam with the rest of the NE states.
The statement says, “We condemn the ever increasing incidents of aggression and force used by the Assam Government against its neighboring states in the past few years. Since the appointment of Shri. Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Minister of Assam these incidents have increased alarming and the use of police force has increased dramatically.
“Civilians at the bordering states of Assam bear the brunt of these aggressions, where farms lands and crops and infrastructures are damaged forcibly by Armed Assam Police, and civilians are harassed and intimidated frequently by Armed Assam Police.
“These Incidents are causing a lot of ill-feeling amongst the people of North East India, and has caused serious damage to the unity and sister-hood of the North Eastern States.
“The worsening of tensions shows the total failure of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), and the ensuing situations have proven yet again that NEDA was never created for the development and unity of the North East States, but only created to grab political power in the North East by any means necessary by the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
“We condemn the actions of Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM of Assam for his continuous efforts to inflame the situation and his repeated attempts to malign the neighboring states, when in fact it is under his Chief Ministership that situations have deteriorated and incidents of unprovoked aggression have spiked from the Assam administration. We reiterate our belief that he is responsible for the worsening of tensions between the North East States.
“We strongly believe that Shri. Himanta Biswa Sarma from his actions is not fit to hold the august position of the Chief Minister of Assam, and we demand that he is removed as Chief Minister of Assam by the BJP Leadership so that we can have a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere in the North East again.”
The statement is signed by following presidents of Youth Congress units in NE states: Geli Eti (Arunachal Pradesh), Mahananda Nungleppam (Manipur), Richard Mrong Marak (Meghalaya), Dr. Lalmalsawma Nghaka (Mizoram), Limayangba Longkumer (Nagaland).
Our Correspondent adds from Guwahati: Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today reiterated that Assam government stands committed to protect the constitutional boundary of the state and not even an inch of Assam’s land would be allowed to be encroached upon further. He called upon all sections of the people of Assam to remain united in respect of protecting the state’s constitutional boundary.