SHILLONG, Nov 29: With reports of Assam government’s “provocative activities” along the disputed border areas of Jaintia Hills, UDP working president and Co-Chairman of the State Law Commission, Bindo M Lanong has urged the state government to deploy state police force along the interstate boundaries to stop Assam’s aggression of encroachment.
In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Lanong stated that from the ongoing confrontation in Mizoram border, now Assam has simultaneously moved to Khanduli villages of Nartiang Doloiship of West Jaintia Hills, forcibly using JCBs and other earth-cutting machines inside the paddy fields and forest areas of the people, causing fear and tension.
“While Assam has no interest to discuss the issue across the table, on the other hand, it is aggressively encroaching inside Meghalaya. It is high time to deploy our state police forces to protect both our legitimate boundaries and our people,” the letter stated.
He reminded that the government during the intervening period of the handing-taking over by the then new Government of India from the colonial rulers, the new dispensation governance of Assam in 1951, all by itself tagged to the then Mikir and North Cachar Hills District, comprising more than 350 villages of Jaintia Hills under Block I and II for administrative convenience.
Urging the state government to act decisively on the issue, Lanong stated that under the new aggressive postures of Assam, there stands a good case to get back at least for now, Block I and II to Meghalaya.
The interstate boundary row between Assam and Meghalaya is age-old and umpteen numbers of talks at chief ministerial-level and chief secretary-level had been held and yet a solution has remained elusive.
Opposition Congress MLA from Umroi Constituency had raised the issue recently in the State Assembly and said that the Meghalaya Government is seen as relenting to the pressure of its counterpart in Assam along the interstate boundary.
It may be mentioned that the chief ministerial-level talks on boundary row is due since last year and with Assam bracing for elections, it looks uncertain when will it be held while frictions along the disputed areas have been a recurring affair.