GUWAHATI, Nov 16: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that unlike the previous dispensations, the incumbent governments in Meghalaya and Assam have now “dared to take the decades-long inter-state border resolution process forward without taking into account the political consequences.”
Addressing a sizeable gathering at Lower Langpih during the course of an “unprecedented and significant” joint visit of the chief ministers of the two states to the disputed area, Sangma said, “I keep telling the people that this government in Meghalaya and the government (under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma) in Assam have dared to take the issue without thinking about the political consequences…to ensure that the people are benefitted ….with your blessings, I’m sure we will be able to find an amicable solution.”
“Previously, the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam used to sit in Shillong and Guwahati. The outcome was status quo maintenance. However, resolution of such a long border dispute can be possible only if we meet the people in the border areas, understand their problems, consider the ground realities. Then only we can find ways out for resolving the disputes amicably to ensure peace and progress,” the chief minister said.
“We are not saying that this complex issue will be immediately resolved or in the near future…but our objective will be to try and find a way out,” Sangma said.
“Langpih is not in the first list of the six areas of differences. But still, we wanted to pay this goodwill visit to convey a positive message of working together for an amicable solution. Both governments will be working hard to find solutions to the 12 areas of differences,” he said.
Earlier, the chief minister thanked his Assam counterpart agreeing to make the joint visit, meet the people of the area, discuss the border issues and find an amicable way to resolve this very long pending issue.
“This may be very complex problem, involving emotions…but it is our duty as leaders to try and find out a way forward…else we will be failing in our responsibilities that you the people of Assam and Meghalaya have bestowed on us,” Sangma said.
Ministers, MLAs and chief secretaries of both the states were present during the chief ministers’ visit to Langpih.