From Our Correspondent
PHULBARI, April 25: Tensions on the Meghalaya-Assam border have escalated into a war of nerves as the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) Phulbari regional unit warned of a “proportionate” counter-blockade against Assam, responding to AAMSU’s calls for economic sanctions over the controversial labour entry ban in Garo Hills.
The stand-off follows a recent meeting organised by the All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) in Mankachar, South Salmara district, where the group protested the denial of entry to migrant workers and traders into Meghalaya.
Rejecting claims that labourers from Assam face “torture” in the hills, GSU Phulbari president Nyezer Chuang R Marak asserted that such allegations ignore local concerns regarding illegal influx and the exploitation of resources.
“It is unfortunate that instead of acknowledging these genuine issues, AAMSU has chosen to divert attention through mass protests and threats of an economic blockade,” Marak said. “If they impose sanctions, we will respond in equal measure.”
The GSU unit warned that any attempt to disrupt supply lines or public transport entering Meghalaya would lead to a shutdown of the Mankachar-Guwahati corridor, a vital trade route that passes through Phulbari and the Garo Hills.
The friction comes despite a recent easing of tensions in Tura, where authorities and local organisations decided to allow registered workers to return. However, other districts in the region have yet to adopt similar measures, leaving the movement of labor and goods in a state of uncertainty.
Local traders express growing concern that a blockade on either side of the border will lead to immediate price hikes and supply shortages in both West Garo Hills and the neighboring plains of Assam.
