By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 26: The state government on Thursday urged pressure groups to stop using it as a “punching bag” and instead, join hands to address long-standing and sensitive issues like the boundary dispute.
The statement came a day after people from Assam’s Karbi Anglong allegedly planted trees in a disputed area at Lapalang, a village in West Jaintia Hills on the interstate border. The villagers retaliated by uprooting the saplings and dismantling temporary huts, leading to a stand-off.
Assam Police personnel reportedly fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd from the Meghalaya side.
Amid criticisms from certain civil society organisations questioning its presence and preparedness, the MDA government defended its role in managing the situation.
“The state government will now move forward and try to resolve this matter. Already, both the Deputy Chief Ministers in charge of Home and Urban Affairs are in the loop, and yesterday, contrary to the claims made by an NGO, government officials, magistrates, and Meghalaya Police personnel present there helped defuse the situation and prevent any possible attacks on Meghalaya. We stand committed to the security of our people,” Tourism Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh said.
The minister said that politicising the border dispute or turning it into a tool for targeting the elected government only weakens the broader cause of the state’s integrity.
In a pointed message to the civil society, Lyngdoh said, “We are a small state that has had this problem for decades. Instead of attacking your government, try to work together and find a point of synergy, of convergence, because in a crucial issue like border dispute, you can’t have your pressure groups attacking the government.”
He added, “My message to them is do not treat the government as a punching bag. We are here to perform, protect our people, and that is a sacred duty for us.”
Tynsong asserted that it was a slight mistake on the part of Assam not to inform their counterparts in Meghalaya about such a plantation drive in the area of difference.
He told media persons on Thursday that the situation was calm in the area after Wednesday’s skirmish, and instructions have been given to the West Jaintia Hills district administration to be vigilant and be in touch with its counterpart in Assam.
“The incident happened because the other side planted trees, and it was a slight mistake on their part as they did not inform their counterpart in Meghalaya about such activities,” he said.
According to Tynsong, the memorandum of understanding signed by both states requires informing each other before taking up any development activity, plantation, or construction in the areas of difference.
He said that the incident occurred due to the lack of communication between the district administrations of West Jaintia Hills and Karbi Anglong.
Admitting that the Lapangap village falls in an area of difference, he said that the Meghalaya government will register its protest on the incident with Assam, and the Meghalaya Chief Minister has spoken to his Assam counterpart on the matter.
The incident at Lapangap highlights the fragile status quo along the unresolved stretches of the Meghalaya-Assam border.
While Meghalaya officials were quick to arrive at the spot to prevent further escalation, the incident has rekindled fears of conflict in the other contested stretches along the interstate boundary.