NONGPOH, Dec 15: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday triggered a controversy when he claimed that the 22 villages which are located in Block-II area falls under the territorial jurisdiction of Assam. The statement did not go down well with the KSU which accused the deputy CM of not knowing the state’s history.
Speaking on the sidelines of a programme at Umskun village in Ri-Bhoi, Tynsong said the Meghalaya government, led by the MDA, has submitted a presentation to Assam so that these 22 villages, which are under Assam, can be retransferred back to Meghalaya in the second phase of border talks.
His comments came in response to queries by journalists on the continued harassment by Assam police personnel on Meghalaya citizens in Block-II area under Ri-Bhoi.
He mentioned that the state government has directed the Ri-Bhoi deputy commissioner to hold talks with his counterpart in Assam and settle the matter at the earliest.
The KSU, infuriated by Tynsong’s statement, asked him to do his homework before coming up with such misleading statements on a critical issue like the border dispute.
Addressing media persons, KSU’s North Khasi Hills District president Ferdynald K Kharkamni said the deputy CM of Meghalaya gave a statement without going through the history of those villages under Block-II. “Before randomly stating that these villages fall under Assam, he should know that the people living in these villages belong to the Khasi tribe who want to be part of Meghalaya,” he said.
Kharkamni also proceeded to correct Tynsong by stating that there are 18 villages under Block-II and not 22 as claimed by the Dy CM.
“How can Prestone Tynsong claim that the 22 villages fall under Assam when they are getting developmental projects or others needs from Meghalaya. The people possess the Voter ID of Meghalaya and vote in Meghalaya,” he added.
Earlier, the KSU submitted a complaint to the DC seeking immediate action against the harassment meted out by the Assam Police on the people of Umsaw Lumdorbar.
The union also demanded creation of border outposts at Madan Umwang, Umthli, and Umlaper for the security of the people living in border areas and not at Thadrang and Raid Tyrso as proposed by the state government.
