Guwahati, Feb 4: West Gauhati legislator Ramendra Narayan Kalita has claimed that “no sattra (Vaishnavite monastery) or naamghar (prayer house) in Bakhlapara will be given away to Meghalaya” under the give-and-take mechanism of boundary dispute resolution between Assam and Meghalaya.
In a statement here, Kalita countered the allegation by the Asom Satra Mahasabha (ASM) that “two sattras and 20 naamghars might be given away to Meghalaya as a consequence of the mutual understanding between the states.”
Bakhlapara in West Gauhati constituency of Kamrup district, is one of the six areas of difference between the two states.
According to reports, out of the 1.57 sq km disputed area in Bakhlapara, 1.01 sq km will be a part of Assam, while the remaining 0.56 sq km will go to Meghalaya.
“Though a portion of Bakhlapara will be left to the neighbouring state, there is no existence of sattras and naamghars in the said area…Rather, there is a church located in the area. Therefore, there is no question of leaving any sattra and naamghar to Meghalaya,” the MLA said.
He further said that “though there is sattra each in Mateikhar, Longsai and Umsur, these areas are not proposed to be merged with the neighbouring state.”
Kalita has also appealed to the “ASM not to make any such statement which might adversely affect the religious sentiments of the Assamese people as well as those living on the Assam-Meghalaya border since time immemorial.”
He has also requested the ASM to make a spot verification in the areas to ascertain the situation.
Countering the six-time legislator, Asom Sattra Mahasabha general secretary Kusum Kumar Mahanta told The Shillong Times that ASM has not issued any statement that might hurt relations between the people of the two states.
“We have only requested the Assam government to keep the sattras and naamghars within Assam’s territory so as to protect the interests of Vaishnavite communities along the border,” he clarified.
“Regarding spot visits, we from the Mahasabha, have made several ground visits to the interior areas of the border unlike representatives from the government. The locals know us more than the political representatives as they hardly visit the interiors,” Mahanta claimed.