SHILLONG, April 13: Senior All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Mukul Sangma slammed Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for giving in to a “pre-determined” boundary pact with Assam that cost Meghalaya swathes of land.
He was reacting to Conrad Sangma’s statement that he had submitted a list of only 23 villages to Assam in 2011 when he was the chief minister.
“The present government went beyond the areas of differences to give Assam stretches of land that were never part of the disputed areas,” the AITC leader said.
“In my analysis, Assam prepared the list of the villages and decided which should go where and Meghalaya just signed,” he said, adding that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma could have dictated terms.
Recalling that the Assam government was delaying the whole process when the Meghalaya government submitted its claims in 2011, Mukul Sangma said the former Assam government knew its Meghalaya counterpart at that time would not succumb to manipulations.
“This government is a victim of manipulation because of its complete ignorance and lack of commitment to protecting the interest of the tribal people,” he said.
Giving details of the Tarabari sector, he said Malang Salbari, which was a census village in Meghalaya has been given to Assam. Similar is the case with Nam Tarabari, Garo Jan, Watre Rongchang, Borsum and Malang Joypur, he said.
“Why is the CM lying that only two villages have been given to Assam?” the AITC leader asked.
He said a 0.27 sq. km patch in Khanapara was given to Assam although it was a part of the 2011 claim. So were Koinadhora (0.22 sq. km), Patharkuchi (0.37 sq. km) and Borpathar (0.29 sq. km).
He also had a word of advice for the coalition partners of the National People’s Party, asking them to come out and oppose the handing over of Meghalaya’s lands to Assam.
‘Imposition of Hindi’
Sangma also slammed the leaders of the Northeastern states who are in the helm of affairs of governance for agreeing with the Centre’s proposal to impose Hindi as a compulsory subject till Class X.
He said it was necessary to understand, respect and honour the sentiments of the locals belonging to different communities before imposing a language on them.
Recalling that he had studied Hindi till Class VIII, the former CM said earlier Hindi was never made compulsory.
“I am perturbed when the Home Minister (Amit Shah) says that all the Northeastern states have agreed to the proposal meaning he has already taken all of them on board and all the leaders of the Northeast have agreed to the same. I condemn this,” he said.
According to Sangma, people will try to find out ways and means to learn new languages and it is always advantageous for people who learn multiple languages but it does not mean that the government should force everyone to learn a language.
