SHILLONG, JULY 28: Congress led state government on Thursday termed the action by the authorities of Assam government as ‘unwarranted’ and ‘provocation’ for allegedly stopping vehicles on Khanapara, Ri Bhoi citing this will vitiate the peaceful environment. It also resolved to urge the BJP led Assam government to restrain from repeating such activities in future.
Addressing the media after an emergent cabinet meeting, chief minister Mukul Sangma said, “We condemned the action of the Assam government for stopping vehicles on Khanapara, which is uncalled for as it will vitiate the peaceful environment. This action is more like a provocation.”
Stating that the incident, for which the reasons is yet to be ascertained, has resulted in stand-off and blocking the road preventing the people from Meghalaya to reach the national highway.
Informing that the deputy commissioner of Ri Bhoi is on the spot to resolve the issue, Sangma said, “Directions have been given to have enough presence of the district authorities. I have been informed that the DC is already in the process of aggressively engaging to restore road connectivity.”
Further, the chief minister informed that the land in Khanapara belongs to Meghalaya and is located at an undisputed area. It is also learnt that land is located at a tri-junction near the Bungalow of the former Assam CM.
Emphasizing the need to resume talks at the level of the chief ministers of both the state, Sangma said, “It is high time for bilateral dialogue at level of CMs to explore ways and means for possible settlement. This will ensure the much awaited dialogue resolving the long pending border dispute.”
According to him, following the state government submission of documentations with regards to border issue, the Assam government had expressed that it would need time to study and since then they have sought for more and more time.
When asked, Sangma said the state government’s next step is to urge its counterpart to discuss the issue at the highest level. “There is a need to have more engagement and tell them why we need to proceed ahead. We have to restructure our approach rather keeping it in cold storage… We hope that best sense will prevail,” he asserted.
Earlier, the state government had also adopted a resolution to urge the centre to form a border commission to resolve the age old boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya. However, the Assam counterpart adopted a resolution in opposition to the one taken by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Stating that there is a kind the stand-off situation, he said that there is need for both the states to come out of this and move forward.-By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours