From Bhupen Goswami
GUWAHATI : According to home minister Amit Shah’s direction, the Centre has summoned chief secretaries and director generals of police of both the states for talks on the violence along the Assam and Mizoram border. A meeting has been convened under the Chairmanship of Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla to resolve the ongoing dispute between the two states.
The meeting will discuss the sudden violence in Assam, Mizoram. In which the Chief Secretaries and The DGP will be asked to work on a peace formula so that such violence does not repeat on the border of the two states. A Home Ministry official said, a meeting is still underway with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police of the two states. Both the states are accusing each other. That is why there is no suggestion so far.The official said the situation became so serious that no decision is yet to be taken by the Home Ministry. Assam, on the other hand, has decided to approach the Assam government Supreme Court over the “encroachment” of forest land.
Assam has decided to move Supreme Court to protect innerline forest reserve from encroachments. This was stated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Assam Chief Minister said the satellite image shows the construction of roads and cultivation of jhum by clearing the forests. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed the media that “the Assam government will approach the Supreme Court to ensure the safety of forests. Sarma further said that the dispute between Assam and Mizoram is not about land but about encroachment in the reserve forest. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also said that even if mizoram occupies the entire Cachar district, assam will not catch fire. CM Sarma said “I cannot allow Assam Police to fire at civilians.
Children may lose their lives. We cannot kill innocent people. Assam will not retaliate. We will protect our land and even die for it but will not retaliate. However, a total bandh is underway in Barak Valley of Assam condemning the incident of firing by Mizoram police in the clash in Barak Valley of Assam, killing six Assam Police personnel and one civilian. All the establishments in three districts of Barak Valley namely Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj have kept their shutters closed and the 12-hour bandh has been successful so far. Assam-Mizoram border clash: A bandh was called by the Barak Democratic Front (BDF) which was closed in Barak Valley 2.
