Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], July 25 (ANI): Border disputes in India’s northeastern states are a legacy of the colonial era and lasting peace between states is important to further development in the region, said Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga.
Speaking at a meeting of North-East Chief Ministers, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the State Convention Centre in Shillong on Saturday, Zoramthanga addressed the border dispute between Mizoram and Assam and said that the area claimed by the latter has been used by people from Mizoram for over 100 years.
“The border disputes between the states of the North-east region are a legacy of the colonial era that the present government inherited from its predecessor which has been left unresolved at the time of the formation of States like Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram,” he said.
He added, “The large tract of areas claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary has been used for collection of forest producers and for shifting and settled cultivation for the past 100 plus years by the people of Mizoram, and that Assam started claiming these areas only fairly recently due to population pressure apparently caused by the large-scale influx of migrants from outside Barak valley,” he said.
Zoramthanga further requested the Assam government to respect and honour the situation on the ground and desist from disturbing the peaceful environment.
He also called upon them to withdraw their armed police camping at various locations in the agriculture fields of Mizo farmers since June 29.
He suggested that the status-quo may be maintained as of May 10, 2021, as suggested by the Assam Chief Minister in his telephonic discussion of June 29.
He also spoke about issues concerning Myanmar refugees and emphasised the need for providing a separate All-India Services cadre for each state to foster a sense of ownership amongst officers in their place of posting and positively affect their work. (ANI)
