SHILLONG, July 27: The opposition Trinamool Congress on Wednesday stated anyone can solve the interstate border row by giving away 50% of the land as the party decided to intensify its protest demanding the repeal of the “flawed” pact the Meghalaya government signed with Assam.
“To mislead the people has always been the political ploy of this particular government. The border issue documents submitted in 2011 had claimed over 37.79 square km. Why then has the government given away 50% of the land to Assam?” opposition chief whip, George B. Lyngdoh asked.
He slammed Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for saying the deal was based on what the previous government had claimed. “The fact is, he made us end up with half the land we had claimed,” he said.
“By giving away 50% of the land, anybody can solve the border issue within five months. Since Capt. Williamson Sangma, our past CMs did not want to part with even an inch of land in the interest of the state,” Lyngdoh said.
He said the current regime ignored the cries and sentiments of the people by letting itself be bulldozed by Assam instead of fighting tooth and nail for every inch of land.
He also said the memorandum of understanding between the two states happened because the Meghalaya government did not know what it was talking about. “The (border) people are angry that none of the regional committed did their work sincerely,” he added. “Everything was prepared by Assam and Meghalaya only signed on the dotted line,” Lyngdoh said.
He insisted that the TMC protest in Delhi was not a symbolic gesture and said the party would intensify its demand for repeal of the boundary deal. “We cannot be quiet when there are reports that the Assam government and the Survey of India have started the delineation process and erecting the boundary pillars,” he said.
“When our own state government is not listening to our people, we have to raise our voices to draw the attention of the Centre to the faulty boundary deal,” Lyngdoh said.
Mukul acting as leader from Assam: Prestone
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong lambasted TMC leader Mukul Sangma for staging a dharna outside Parliament House demanding scrapping of the MoU.
“Dr Mukul’s action shows that he wants to fight the election from Assam. It looks like he is acting as a leader from Assam,” Tynsong said while addressing a function to inaugurate the office of the NPP North Shillong unit at Mawlai Nongmali here on Wednesday.
He said that the MDA government understands that the signing of the MoU is crucial towards the interest of the state. “We will not able to resolve the long-pending border dispute with Assam if we don’t do it now. We are doing this for the sake of the future generations since they will be the ones who will suffer if the issue remains unresolved,” Tynsong said.
Recalling allegations that he and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma wanted to ‘sell the state’, Tynsong said, “Many are not aware of the efforts put in to sign the MoU. There was an occasion when the CM, the Assam chief minister and I had to still till midnight to deliberate on this issue.”
According to him, Meghalaya would be gaining 95% and losing only 5% by signing the MoU.
The deputy CM also hinted that the state government was keen on initiating negotiations for the second phase.
“But this will depend on the wisdom of the two chief ministers. It will be difficult for me to say whether we will be able to complete the exercise before the state goes to polls,” Tynsong said.
“But we are definitely going to follow up on all the pending issues including the border dispute if we are voted to power after the polls,” he added.
