VPP opposes border agreement with Assam

SHILLONG, APR 4: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday rejected the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Meghalaya and Assam saying it is not acceptable to the people as even areas which were not contentious would also be transferred to Assam.

“This MoU has drawn flak from various quarters and has also irked the people in the border areas. Hence the Voice of the People Party feels that this agreement is not acceptable,” VPP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said in a statement.

“It would also like to tell the Chief Minister Shri Conrad Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Shri. Prestone Tynsong that border areas are not their personal property that they can do whatever they want,” he also said.

The former Nongkrem legislator said that the government of Meghalaya has promised to the people of the State that it would adopt a policy of give and take as far as the settlement of the problem is concerned.

Therefore, it was expected that the two States would prepare a list of villages belonging to Meghalaya and Assam respectively to be transferred according to the said policy of give and take.

But after the MoU was made public, it was found that only areas which fall under Meghalaya would be given to Assam, he said.

“Even more surprising is that even areas which were not contentious, according to the agreement would also be transferred to Assam,” Basaiawmoit said while alleging “This is nothing but a complete sell out by the current Government of the areas of Meghalaya.”

He said that the VPP had given the present government the benefit of the doubt as far as its efforts to settle the boundary issue with Assam is concerned.

“Hence the Party did not wish to issue any statement in this regard, that would give a political colour to the entire process. However, with the signing of the MoU and the subsequent publication of the memorandum of understanding in the media, the VPP  feels that it is duty bound to raise up this issue again and  take a strong exception to the present arrangement with Assam,” he stated.

By Our Reporter