By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 10: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has once again sought a review of border MoU signed by Meghalaya and Assam governments after the first phase of boundary talks.
VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh said, “We do not accept the MoU signed by the MDA government with the Assam government. We do not accept the transfer of our land to Assam. We maintain a stand that it is Assam that encroaches into our land”.
Referring to the recent statement made by Assam Minister Atul Bora in the Assembly that the Assam government would not give any land to Meghalaya by betraying the sentiments of the people of Assam, Myrboh said, “The point raised by the Assam minister is irrelevant. Our demand is to review the MoU.”
Assam and Meghalaya have a longstanding dispute in 12 identified areas along the 884.9-km-long interstate boundary, of which resolution to six areas have been found.
The two states had, in March 2022, signed an agreement in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to resolve the dispute in six areas that was taken up during the first phase of the border solving process.
Currently the process to solve the six more sensitive areas of difference in the second phase is on.
Of the 36.79 sq km of disputed areas taken up for settlement in the first phase at six places, Assam got 18.46 sq km and Meghalaya received 18.33 sq km.