NEW DELHI, Aug 2: Former Congress Chief Minister and undisputed Congress leader of Mizoram Lal Thanhwala, on Sunday made a sensational demand stating that Sonia Gandhi should immediately dissolve the All India Congress Committee (AICC) panel formed in the wake of the ongoing Assam-Mizoram border dispute maintaining that it comprises only ‘biased’ leaders from Assam and none from Mizoram.
In a stern letter to the party president, Lal Thanhwala also sought for withdrawal of the ‘All India NSUI’ statement condemning Mizoram for the border flare-up. The veteran leader of Mizoram hinted that the party should not have taken such a one-sided stand when two states are involved.
Interestingly, Congress on Saturday had claimed that the central government had failed in handling the interstate border dispute.
Accusing the ruling party of ‘double-standards’, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi claimed that had such a situation arisen in non-BJP-ruled states, the saffron party would have demanded the deployment of Army and the imposition of the President’s Rule.
Congress sources when contacted said that the AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, in charge of Assam, might have formed one such committee but did not reveal details.
In an NSUI statement, the source said that the statement could have been issued by the Assam unit, the student wing, which in any case does not absolve the parent party.
The NSUI statement allegedly branded Mizos as barbaric and unilaterally responsible for the border violence. “This has angered the entire Mizo people at the cost of the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, as many as 16 BJP MPs from Northeastern states met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday and submitted a memorandum over the recent tension between Assam and Mizoram on border row and accused the Congress of politicising the issue.
The BJP MPs said they want to convey to all those elements who view the Assam-Mizoram issue as a means of “spreading chaos in India and that their shenanigans will not work”.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused “elements from outside our country” of “fuelling violence by making inciting statements”. The Prime Minister has asserted that he does not look at the region from the prism of politics.
Incidentally, both the states are ruled by NDA.
Meanwhile, Mizoram Governor K Hari Babu met the Prime Minister earlier in the day and informed him that the Union Home Ministry is trying to find a solution to the border row. “Both chief ministers (of Assam and Mizoram) have committed that peace will be restored,” he said.