SHILLONG, Jan 13: Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Thursday said the time is not ripe to predict if the recommendations of the regional committees on Assam-Meghalaya boundary issue will be accepted or rejected by the people.
“We hope that we will be able to find a permanent solution to this long-pending issue. I am very confident that it will be positive for both governments,” Tynsong told reporters.
Asked if the regional committees considered the will of the people while submitting their reports to the respective governments, Tynsong said it is for this reason that they conducted joint inspections to the six “less-complicated” areas of differences which have been taken up in the first phase.
“Both the state governments will receive a comprehensive report. Once they get it, the two CMs (Conrad K Sangma of Meghalaya and Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam) will immediately sit down again,” the Deputy CM said.
Subsequently, he added, the duo would go to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister, Amit Shah and thereafter, they are likely to hold a joint press conference to declare the decisions made.
Replying to a query, Tynsong said both states have been given three days starting from today to submit the report. He claimed there has not been any delay by the two governments in arriving at the final decision on the six areas.
“Are you saying four or five meetings are enough to resolve this issue? We need to understand that it requires a lot of deliberations and discussions by the two CMs,” Tynsong said.
He lauded the duo for their efforts in trying to find a permanent solution to the problem. “No CM in the past held dialogues and went for joint inspection of these areas,” he added.
AITC pins hopes on
permanent solution
Opposition All India Trinamool Congress-Meghalaya (AITC-M) chief, Charles Pyngrope described the initiative on the boundary issue as a move in the right direction. He hoped the dispute will be resolved permanently.
On the concerns expressed by some that the government is hurrying to take the final decision in view of statehood day celebration, Pyngrope said, “Let’s not link the two. It’s good if it happens before or after the statehood day celebration.”
“This is a long-pending issue revisited by many governments, so if it fructifies, it is the culmination of efforts made by successive governments. Let’s hope it happens,” he said.
Stating that efforts have been made by successive governments to find a solution, he said, “The compilation of all these reports over the years has now reached the position where they are going to meet the Union Home Minister with relevant documents. We pray that it will be the final closure of the border issue.”
