Deployment of neutral force on boundary with Mizoram

The decision of CS-level meet

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The high-level meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday decided to deploy a neutral force (Central Armed Police Force-CAPF) in the disturbed Assam-Mizoram border areas along National Highway 306 under a senior CAPF officer.

The meeting also decided that to facilitate the functioning of the neutral force, the two-state governments will work out arrangements in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) within a reasonable timeframe.

The meeting further decided that the two-state governments will continue discussions to resolve the border issues amicably.

Assam Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua, his Mizoram counterpart L Chuaungo and DGPs of both the states attended the meeting. The Union Home Secretary presided over the meeting.

After the meeting, the Assam Chief Secretary said that circles concerned raise various emotional issues, right from the 1875 inner line to the 1933 British-demarcated Assam-Mizoram border. The right boundary between the two states is the one that was prevalent at the time of carving out Mizoram from Assam, he said. The Centre demarcated the constitutional border of Mizoram based on the Lusai District territory of Assam, he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today that a 300-jawan strong police force led by IGP (Border) Anurag Agarwal keeps vigil on the Mizoram border at Lailapur in the Cachar district.

Sarma said, "We have recovered most of the Assam lands encroached upon by Mizoram in November 2020. The Assam-Mizoram border is a permanent one. It is a constitutional boundary. The question of leaving any portion of it doesn't arise.

"It is the Central government that demarcates the boundaries of states. I cannot change the inter-state border demarcated by the Centre. Nor can the Mizoram Chief Minister change it. Only the Government of India can change it. So long the Centre doesn't change the boundary, I will continue to fight for the state's territorial integrity.

"With boundary disputes on all sides, Assam is in a precarious situation. Such disputes, if not sorted out, will hinder our development. We want to settle the boundary disputes amicably. I will have talks with the Meghalaya Chief Minister again on August 6. We are holding talks with the Arunachal Pradesh government as well. The skirmishes that people from Mizoram started in the past two months are not relating to the border. They have different interests."

On Congress criticizing the State government, the Chief Minister said, "The ruling party, the Opposition and the media in Mizoram stand united for the cause of the State after this incident. On the contrary, in Assam, Congress is out to criticize the government. A Congress team wanted to visit the disputed site on the border, but the district administration has not permitted them. This is because it will not be an easy task for the police deployed for boundary vigil to provide security to the Congress team."

Meanwhile, Congress MP Ripun Bora wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting the latter to hold an all-party meeting in the presence of the Prime Minister and the chief ministers of both the states. He said that it is high time both parties gave up 'vested interests' for the greater interests of the public.

Also Read: Six Assam Police personnel killed in boundary row with Mizoram

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