SHILLONG, Nov 19: Opposition Chief Whip, Process T. Sawkmie said the vexed boundary dispute should be discussed in the Assembly before any decision is taken between the two states for resolving the issue.
“If there is an area that has to be given to Assam and vice versa, the matter should be taken up in the Assembly for consideration,” he said.
The Mawlai MLA said whatever decisions are arrived at, most people of the state are clear that “not even an inch of Meghalaya’s land should go to Assam.”
He said the border row is complicated and will take time to resolve.
Refuting Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s claim that past governments never made an effort to solve the border issue, Sawkmie recalled former chief minister EK Mawlong’s visit to the border areas with his Assam counterpart then.
“Former CMs DD Lapang and Mukul Sangma had also tried to resolve the issue. The incumbent government has shown sincerity in solving this issue and we can see that both the CMs are making efforts and are supporting each other,” Sawkmie said.
Alleging that the Assam government has encroached into Meghalaya on several occasions, he lauded the Sangma’s enthusiasm to solve the issue.
