Assam-Mizoram border row: NIA investigation should cover the conspiracy angle

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Government of Assam headed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is serious about the conflict on the well demarcated border of the State with Mizoram which erupts occasionally despite the best of efforts from Dispur to resolve it peacefully and amicably. This time the simmering dispute took an ugly turn without any provocation from Cachar side. Poor Intazul Laskar was abducted from his house at Lailapur by Mizo miscreants and killed on Sunday. It was a welcome step that apprehending breach of peace, Chief Secretary, Jishnu Barua, and Director General of Police, BhaskarJyotiMahanta, rushed to the spot in the evening of Tuesday to console and stand by the bereaved family and appreciated the border residents for maintaining peace and restraint all through the tension and fear without being provoked.

The Chief Secretary and the DGP expressed their satisfaction at the prevailing laGovernment of Assam headed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is serious about the conflict on the well demarcated border of the State with Mizoram which erupts occasionally despite the best of efforts from Dispur to resolve it peacefully and amicably. This time the simmering dispute took an ugly turn without any provocation from Cachar side. Poor Intazul Laskar was abducted from his house at Lailapur by Mizo miscreants and killed on Sunday. It was a welcome step that apprehending breach of p and order situation and assured the panicked people of appropriate measures for their safety and protection, besides exploring all channels with the Mizoram Government and the Centre to find lasting solution within the ambit of the Constitution. The Mizoram Accord of 1986 is well defined on border demarcation with Assam which has to be strictly adhered to. It was also a welcome move that CRPF jawans would be reaching in a day or two for deployment on the hotspots of Cachar and Karimganj districts. Another boiling point along Gharmoora ranges of Hailakandi should also be included, opine the observers of border conflict.

It has also been observed that tension and conflict is created when border residents of Assam cross over to Mizoram side. ParimalSuklabaidya, Minister of Forest and Environment, who was also with the Chief Secretary and the DGP in the conflict zone, advised the people of Lailapur and surrounding areas not to go beyond the demarcated boundary. But, the way the Mizo miscreants backed by armed police battalions penetrated deep inside the Assam territory, creating havoc, does raise intriguing questions? Is it not Mizo aggression with a design? The aggressors might evade routes manned by CRPF and make their way through other porous areas of the border.

If NIA is handed over the investigation, other areas that need to be focused on are the simultaneous and well designed aggression on 3 border fronts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. Higher authorities of Mizoram, the Home Secretary, the Chief Secretary and the DGP sit tight over the border without any statement on how to end the tensed situation and resolve the issue. Informed sources say,Mizo miscreants and the armed police battalions have not budged from Assam territory. Moreover, MZP and YMA continue to dictate the proceedings. Lastly, the statement from Beijing as highlighted in its official mouthpiece The Global Times recently said that it will support northeast insurgents, secessionists and the like elements to create disturbed situation in the region.

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