Guwahati, Dec 21: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday lambasted the Opposition Congress for not making any headway in regard to resolving border issues with the neighbouring states of the Northeast despite the party being in power in the state for several years.
Speaking in the Assam Legislative Assembly during a Zero Hour discussion, the chief minister countered the Opposition party by saying that “despite being in power for several years, the Congress did not pay any heed to addressing the border issues with the neighbouring states.”
“However, we (BJP-led government) have for the first time inked an agreement (for six areas of differences) with Meghalaya on the border issue. Subsequently, talks with Arunachal Pradesh to arrive at an amicable resolution are under way and similar discussions are on with Mizoram,” Sarma said.
Notably, during the first day of the winter session on Tuesday, Opposition Congress and CPI (M) members staged a walkout from the House after the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion over Mizoram allegedly occupying a government school in Cachar district.
Countering the Opposition, Sarma said that Assam police personnel had sacrificed their lives along the Mizoram border last year.
“An SP was injured in the border clash and six persons have sacrificed their lives. Thereafter, in accordance with the central government directive, a neutral (CRPF) force was deployed along the border and border talks with Mizoram have been initiated,” the chief minister said.
“The Congress was in power (in Assam) for so many years, but could not make any headway on the border resolution process with Mizoram. The Congress could not clear any encroached land along the border with Mizoram during their tenure. However, for the first time, we have cleared 1800 acres from the neighbouring state,” he said.
“The Assam government has for the first time signed a border pact after negotiations with Meghalaya in an amicable manner. While people in Meghalaya might have moved the high court against the pact…However no group or persons from Assam have gone to the high court…so Assam has gained from the border pact,” the chief minister said.
Sarma said that while he was unsure about Congress’ perspective on ties with the neighbouring states, “but the general people of Assam want to be on good terms with the people of the seven Northeastern states. That is the spirit of Assamese ethos and culture. That is why we are taking the discussion route to resolving border issues with our neighbour states.”
Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia had on Tuesday alleged that a Mizo school was opened on the premises of an Assam government school (No 990 Dholapur LP School under Dholai constituency in Cachar district which was destroyed in an explosion carried out by miscreants on November 6, 2020.
Regarding the school, the chief minister said the school in question was “never in Assam’s control for two to three years…The central government has directed deployment of CRPF personnel there, asking both the states to maintain status quo. But the school is within the constitutional boundary of Assam…We will discuss and resolve …but we cannot go against the Centre’s directive and engage in firing with the Mizoram police.”
Sarma also said Congress should not provoke and make attempts to derail the ongoing border resolution process with the neighbouring states.
“Congress (in Delhi) always blames Assam and not the other Northeastern states whenever a border issue surfaces from the region. So now Congress MPs should raise in Parliament the issue of an Assam school being encroached by Mizoram,” he said.
The chief minister however said that “most of the border issues with neighbouring states would be solved during the current term (of the government) as we are moving in a systematic and focused manner”.
He further said “the border issues will be resolved and Assam’s interests will not be affected during the process.”