Assam, Meghalaya CMs apprise Shah of efforts to resolve border disputes

Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad K. Sangma met Amit Shah in Delhi and apprised him about the efforts being made to resolve six of the 12 inter-state border disputes between Assam and Meghalaya

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday met Union Home minister Amit Shah in Delhi and apprised him about the efforts being made to resolve six of the 12 inter-state border disputes between the two northeastern states.

After the meeting, Sangma said that Shah expressed his happiness on the initiatives being taken to resolve the border disputes and the Union Home Ministry would examine the reports submitted by the two Chief Ministers.

The two CMs would again meet the Home Minister on the issue after January 26.

After the meeting, Assam Chief Minister Sarma: "I along with HCM Meghalaya Sri Conrad K. Sangma met Adarniya Griha Mantri Sri Amit Shah ji in New Delhi. We apprised Hon HM on the outcomes of discussions held between Assam & Meghalaya governments to resolve the border disputes amicably. We're grateful for his guidance."

Taking to twitter, Meghalaya CM Sangma said, "Called on HM Amit Shah with Assam CM Himanta Sharma & appraised him of Regional Committee reports. He expressed happiness on the initiative taken by the both states. MHA to examine the reports and we'll meet HM again after Jan26."

Sarma and Sangma submitted the recommendations of the ministerial committees constituted in August last year to resolve the six of the 12 inter-state border disputes.

The Cabinets of the two states in their meetings separately on Wednesday approved the recommendations of the ministerial committees.

The ministerial committees before finalising the recommendations of the two states had visited 36 villages in six of the 12 disputed areas during the past four months.

Sangma said that the boundary demarcation would be conducted after the due procedure in the Parliament.

"The officials of the Survey of India along with the officials of the two states have to undertake joint inspections before a possible Bill can be moved in the Parliament," he said.

Meanwhile, the Assam Chief Minister said that a roadmap for amicable settlement has been prepared based on the recommendations of three regional (ministerial) committees with representatives from both the states.

On January 12, Assam and Meghalaya had in principle reached an agreement on at least six of the 12 border disputes.

The Opposition Congress in Assam has threatened to move the court if Assam's land is parted away with.

Assam has border disputes with Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Assam's border dispute cases with Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are before the Supreme Court but there are no cases on the inter-state disputes with Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Recently, Assam and Nagaland had signed an agreement to remove state forces from the disputed locations.

Sarma recently discussed an out-of-court settlement of the boundary disputes with his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu.

The worst-ever violence along the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26 last year left six Assam Police personnel dead and nearly 100 civilians and security personnel of the two neighbouring states injured.

--IANS

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