From Sandeep Sharma
270GUWAHATI, July 30: Congress MP from Shillong Vincent H Pala has sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the border disputes among the Northeast states.
“…on behalf of the peace-loving people of Meghalaya, I sincerely urge you to address this issue at the earliest. The progress of the region has been fought for long and hard, and it would be a matter of great regret to let that wither away. I earnestly hope that this matter is taken up urgently so as to establish cordial relations and resolve such disputes in a timely manner,” Pala noted in his letter to Modi on Friday.
He informed that the recent occurrences in the North-East India have once again highlighted the violent clashes and disputes over inter-state boundaries that have threatened the peace and stability of the region for decades now.
He added that it is widely acknowledged that, excluding the princely states of Tripura and Manipur, all other states have a long boundary dispute with Assam.
According to him, this has also given rise to disputes over land, forest resources and ethnic clashes, and can be seen in relations of Assam viz-a-viz states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Pala said however, it has been observed that, for reasons best known to the present BJP- led government of Assam, such conflicts have not only been on the rise, but have also taken a much more aggressive turn.
Consequently, a sense of fear, insecurity and alarm is perceived among the residents of these border areas, he said.
“We have covered a long way in neutralising certain violent and disturbing threats to the peace of the region and such apprehensions do not augur well for the progress that has been made. Provocations and aggressive posturing at the borders of smaller states is perilous to healthy neighbourly relations,” Pala mentioned in his letter.
