Asom Satra Mahasabha Theatres To Go To Court Over Assam-Meghalaya Border Deal

GUWAHATI: Two satras and over 20 namghars in Assam used for prayer purposes will be relocated to the state of Meghalaya as part of the agreement between Assam and Meghalaya to resolve border disputes, alleges members of ASM (Asom Satra Mahasabha).

Asom Satra Mahasabha or ASM is an umbrellas organization that is meant for the Vaishnavite monasteries in the state of Assam.

The general secretary of Asom Satra Mahasabha, Kusum Kumar Mahanta said that they came across the information about two satras and at least 20 Namghars of Assam will be given to Meghalaya as part of the latest deal to solve the border problems between the two states.

He said that the organization stands against such a decision as it is unacceptable to them and they won't allow the namghars and satras to be relocated in Meghalaya.

The GS of ASM, Mahanta claimed that Netwajapa Satra located in Longsai of Kamrup and Baberi Gosai Satra in Mohmorang and are the two satras' that will be handed over to Meghalaya.

At present all the 20 namghars and the two satras are in Boklapara which is a part of the West Guwahati Legislative constituency.

Mahanta said that ASM will be soon approaching the Gauhati High Court seeking revocation of the border agreement and it will also write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As per the information of the border dispute resolving agreement between Meghalaya and Assam, 1.01 square kilometers of the 1.57 square kilometers disputed region in Boklapara will be part of Assam on the other hand the rest 0.56 square kilometer will be given to Meghalaya.

On speaking about the matter, West Guwahati MLA Ramendra Narayan and member of Ason Gana Parishad Kalita informed that the ASM members have received wrong information regarding the sharing of land areas between two states.

According to the recent agreement, only 1 namghar will go in the area of Meghalaya said the legislator. The regional committee had earlier held a meeting to discuss the issue with the locals of the area and as per the discussion, more than 70 percent of the locals agreed to be members of Meghalaya.

Kalita added that a majority of the people in the area supported Meghalaya when the announcement was made that those land area cannot be joined with Assam. The locals agreed to join with the neighbouring state as they had their agricultural property in Meghalaya.

He added that the matter will be further discussed with Asom Satra Mahasabha so that they can understand about the actual facts.

In the previous week, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and informed him about the recommendations of regional committees of the two states.

The regional committees suggested the division of 6 of the 12 disputed border regions between them through a give-and-take formula of swapping the plots. The CMS asked the centre to take measures for the implementation of the decision.

And the decision was made based on the recommendations that a total of 36.79 square kilometers of the disputed land in six areas of Boklapara, Gizang, Ratacherra, Tarabari and Khanapara-Pilingkata that comes under Assam will get 18.51 sq km of the areas and Meghalaya will get 18.28 sq km.

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