SHILLONG, MAR 4: Meghalaya governor V Shanmuganathan on Friday said the anti-insurgent operations have been effective and yielding positive results.
“The intensive and sustained counter insurgency operations carried out by the security forces against the insurgent outfits have been effective and are yielding positive results,” Shanmuganathan said while addressing the first day of the Meghalaya assembly budget session.
He informed that 8 brave security personnel sacrificed their lives and 16 were injured while discharging their duties. Besides, 21 civilians also lost their lives in the violence perpetrated by the insurgent groups while 30 civilians were injured.
Stating that his government has adopted a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of militancy and insurgent activities so to achieve lasting peace, he said, “Despite certain concerns and challenges, the overall internal security and law & order situation in the state has been firmly dealt with by the state security agencies with the support of the Government of India.”
He also commended the people of the state for their abiding commitment to the values of peace and harmony by defying and resisted the calls given by militant outfits for boycott and bandh.
Shanmuganathan further informed that peace settlements have been reached with groups who have entered the dialogue process and steps are being taken in right earnest for their rehabilitation.
“The government reiterates its commitment to initiate negotiations with groups who are inclined towards peace dialogue, provided they abjure the path of violence and unlawful activities,” he said.
Stating the government is firm in its resolve to tackle anti-national elements and their activities with the full might of the state, he said, “The government will continue to invest appropriately in the upgradation of security infrastructure and to this end a new battalion of specially trained and equipped commando force has been raised and is presently undergoing training.”
Meanwhile, the governor said notwithstanding a few sporadic incidents, the situation on the inter-state border has remained, by and large, peaceful.
“A joint committee with representatives from all the political parties has been constituted to carry forward the dialogue with their counterparts in Assam, in order to build up a political consensus on the matter at both ends,” he said.
On the international border with Bangladesh, the governor remarked that the situation has improved significantly, in pursuance of the initiatives taken by the government s on both sides.
“The protocol signed by the two Prime Ministers to settle all the issues relating to the international border has since been ratified by the parliament, and the process of delineating the boundary on the ground is underway now,” he said.
Shanmuganathan also informed, “Meghalaya will retain about 241 acres of land, and Bangladesh will get to retain about 41 acres of land,” adding “These efforts have already begun to yield results in terms of exchange of visits by delegations, introduction of bus services and more frequent interactions at the government level as well as the trade and industry association levels.”
According to him, all this should pave the way for much closer and stronger trade and economic relations between the two countries.
He said Meghalaya should be able to take full advantage of these developments given its geographical proximity. “It will be the endeavour of my government to convert the border of conflict and confrontation into a border of goodwill, cooperation and mutual prosperity,” he added.-By Our Reporter
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