Nongpoh MLA backs border residents’ stand to not cede land to Assam

SHILLONG, Oct 10: Amid a process set in motion to resolve the decades-long border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya, Congress leader and Nongpoh MLA, Mayralborn Syiem, has expressed solidarity with the locals in their stand of not ceding their land, which they claim to be legitimate, to Assam.
“I stand with the people, traditional institution based on the documents we have. I am not talking about those places we do not have documents for, I am talking about those places which clearly fall under Meghalaya,” said Mayralborn Syiem.
His statement comes a day after the first instance of a virtual protest which was witnessed by border residents since Assam and Meghalaya constituted three regional committees each to solve their border disputes.
Villagers from Iongkhuli and Maikhuli villages had informed the regional panels on border disputes for Ri Bhoi and Kamrup (Metro) districts on Saturday that they will not allow their land to go to Assam while claiming that it belongs to Meghalaya since time immemorial.
Reacting to this development, the Nongpoh MLA said, “As per record and historical background mandated within para 20 of the Sixth Schedule, we have district council, and villages which fall under first Jirang Constituency that have been approved in the AD rule that is approved and notified by the Governor of United Assam in 1952 where all these villages’ names are there and all these area of differences are there within Meghalaya only”.
He pointed out that due to few encroachment cases in these clusters, differences have cropped up which need to be rectified. “The stand of the government has to be very clear. It has to be pro-people and we will have to talk that it has to be within Meghalaya only,” he added.
Pointing out that the Friday and Saturday’s joint visit of the regional committee was preliminary, Syiem suggested, “The committee will have to sit with the stakeholders separately otherwise in one go claim and counter claim will always be there”.
“Yesterday was just a prelim round of inspection from both sides and it needs time. More in-depth consultations and engagement with the stakeholders is needed,” he added.
Syiem further said that as a public representative, he is on the on the job and is meeting all stakeholders.