SHILLONG, July 7: The second day of the summer session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Thursday witnessed a difference of opinion between the MDCs over the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Meghalaya and Assam for resolution to the vexed boundary dispute in six of the 12 contested areas.
Rambrai-Jyrngam MDC Bajop Pyngrope, while participating in the discussion on the MoU, hailed the NPP-led MDA Government for taking a step to resolve the decades-old interstate boundary row.
“I will continue to support the MoU. I will urge the Congress MDC to properly read the MoU since people will not lose their ownership even if it falls under Assam,” he said.
Mawhati MDC Charles Marngar, on the other hand, took a dig at Pyngrope for extending support to the MoU, and appealed to the Executive Committee (EM) to not keep mum about the MoU and give ear to the plights of the border villagers.
“I think it is not right to support the MoU when we know that the people of the border villages are not happy with this agreement. As responsible elected representatives, we need to have the courage to oppose decisions taken by the government which are wrong,” Marngar said.
Executive Member in-charge Elaka Jambor War, on the other hand, said that the state government has made a mistake by not consulting the major stakeholders, including KHADC and Himas, before signing of the MoU.
“We had even written to the state government after meeting the affected Himas to revisit the MoU. But the state government made it clear that they will not be able to revisit the MoU,” War said.
Earlier, senior MDC Bindo Mathew Lanong has urged upon the Executive Committee to provide all the necessary support to the Himas to challenge the MoU in the court of law.
