SHILLONG, Jan 8: The Trinamool Congress took a potshot at the state government on Sunday alleging a strong connivance between Assam and Meghalaya government to ensure signing of an MoU in a hurry for diluting the vexed border tussle between two neighbouring states.
The Opposition party also alleged that two governments have a tacit understanding to which the Centre is a party.
Stating that the appeal of the State government in the Supreme Court against the stay order of the High Court raise questions, Meghalaya TMC vice president George B Lyngdoh said, “What is surprising is that the case was represented by the Solicitor General of India. The solicitor general usually appears for the Union government but here we have seen the Additional Solicitor General appear before the Supreme Court.”
He added, “There is a strong understanding between the central and the state government to ensure that the border MoU is implemented on the ground despite protests and oppositions from the traditional heads and people living in those areas, who are forced to relinquish their land in Meghalaya and give it away to Assam.”
Stating that the clandestine understanding between the union and state government can be seen in the appeal of the state government and also the representation made by the Solicitor General, who appeared on behalf of the Meghalaya government, he said, “The solicitor general submitted that the MoU does not propose to alter the boundaries of either Meghalaya or Assam so this statement totally defeats the very purpose of the MoU.”
He alleged that the state government has totally surrendered to Assam and the central government. “Meghalaya government is not working in the interest of the state. It is surrendering our own land to Assam,” he added.
He further said, “Moreover, the state government is not caring for tribal rights. It seems that the hidden agenda to ensure that this entire MoU is done expeditiously and no judicial intervention is also allowed to withheld the interventions of both the state governments to part away with the traditional lands.”
