NONGPOH, March 13: Boundary pillars erected by the Assam government in the border areas of Ri Bhoi district were on Saturday uprooted by the leaders of Ri Bhoi Youth Federation, Western Zone unit.
The federation said that, the border talks between the Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma is yet to reach its final conclusion, however the Assam government has gone ahead in erecting boundary pillars in Bakhlapara, Hawla, Umshru and other villages of Ri Bhoi that borders Assam.
They pointed out that the areas where the pillars were erected are inside the territory of Meghalaya and fall under the jurisdiction of Hima Nongkhlaw and Hima Nongspung.
The federation felt that the move by the Assam government clearly indicates the weakness of the MDA government led by the National People’s Party (NPP).
“As these areas falls under Hima Nongkhlaw and Hima Nongspung, we will not allow ‘our lands’ to be given away easily to Assam. We will stand together with the people of the border areas to protect the land,” they said.
‘Our people have been taken care and possessed these lands for generations since time immemorial, we cannot let it go away to Assam just like that,’ the leaders said.
It may be mentioned that on Saturday, the Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) uprooted boundary pillars at Umshru village and dumped them in front of the Secretariat and at the office of the Khasi Hills Automous District Council.
