Back in power, the National People’s Party (NPP) supremo and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has spelled out his priorities, which include a resolution to the state’s boundary dispute with Assam. His remark that the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) will stick to the agreement signed with the neighbouring state is reassuring given the opposition had tried to politicise the issue in the run-up to the assembly polls.
The two states, which share a 885-km long border, had in March 2022 signed an agreement to end their five-decade-old border crisis in six of the 12 contested locations.
Sangma on Wednesday said the second round of talks with Assam in the six remaining areas of differences spread over three districts will begin in April or May. He also informed the state assembly that regional committees comprising ministers and MLAs for these areas in Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts have also been appointed to take the talks forward.
The Mukroh incident in November last year, in which six persons were killed, did cast a shadow on the border talks. And the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) tried to muddy the waters during its election campaign. The party, which had promised to “revoke” the border pact signed with Assam if it came to power, found few takers though.
Then, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claim that Mukroh is part of his state elicited sharp reactions from Meghalaya. Rejecting Sarma’s claim, Sangma asserted in the assembly earlier this week that the village on the disputed inter-state border comes under Meghalaya.
He went on to explain that residents of Mukroh are beneficiaries of various schemes of the Meghalaya government. “Census code states that Mukroh is under the West Jaintia Hills district. Voting during the recent Meghalaya assembly polls took place in Mukroh as well. The village has 1,500 voters, two polling stations and is a part of Mowkaiaw constituency,” he added.
The friction point falls in a disputed border under Assam’s Kheroni forest range in West Karbi Anglong district, with both states claiming the incident took place in their respective territory.
Sangma has nevertheless shown his desire to solve the entire border issue through dialogue. His seriousness to the border issue became obvious when the MDA government had in January moved the Supreme Court challenging a Meghalaya high court order staying the execution of the border agreement inked with Assam. The top court finally lifted the stay order.
The two states, which share a 885-km long border, had in March 2022 signed an agreement to end their five-decade-old border crisis in six of the 12 contested locations.
Sangma on Wednesday said the second round of talks with Assam in the six remaining areas of differences spread over three districts will begin in April or May. He also informed the state assembly that regional committees comprising ministers and MLAs for these areas in Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts have also been appointed to take the talks forward.
The Mukroh incident in November last year, in which six persons were killed, did cast a shadow on the border talks. And the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) tried to muddy the waters during its election campaign. The party, which had promised to “revoke” the border pact signed with Assam if it came to power, found few takers though.
Then, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claim that Mukroh is part of his state elicited sharp reactions from Meghalaya. Rejecting Sarma’s claim, Sangma asserted in the assembly earlier this week that the village on the disputed inter-state border comes under Meghalaya.
He went on to explain that residents of Mukroh are beneficiaries of various schemes of the Meghalaya government. “Census code states that Mukroh is under the West Jaintia Hills district. Voting during the recent Meghalaya assembly polls took place in Mukroh as well. The village has 1,500 voters, two polling stations and is a part of Mowkaiaw constituency,” he added.
The friction point falls in a disputed border under Assam’s Kheroni forest range in West Karbi Anglong district, with both states claiming the incident took place in their respective territory.
Sangma has nevertheless shown his desire to solve the entire border issue through dialogue. His seriousness to the border issue became obvious when the MDA government had in January moved the Supreme Court challenging a Meghalaya high court order staying the execution of the border agreement inked with Assam. The top court finally lifted the stay order.
(With PTI inputs)
source
The post is published through a syndicated feed and attributed to Times Of India
