Assam: Akhil Gogoi Demands Inter-State Border Policy

Assam Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi Monday demanded an inter-state border policy in Assam and requested Speaker Biswajit Daimary to take initiative in this regard during the ongoing budget session.

Gogoi was part of the all-party Assembly delegation led by Daimary that had visited troubled Lailapur in Cachar district, where seven persons, including six Assam Police personnel, were killed in an unprecedented deadly gun fight between police forces of the state and Mizoram.

"There is an urgent need for an inter-state border policy to manage our boundaries with the neighbouring states. I request the Assembly Speaker to take the initiative in preparing the policy during the ongoing session," Gogoi said at a press conference here.

For day-to-day operations of the border areas, the policy should have a roadmap and all developmental work should be carried out according to it, said the chief of Raijor Dal. He also demanded that the Assam government give land pattas to indigenous local people living along the border areas.

"After giving land rights the Assam government should develop the area by building roads, providing water and electricity connections and constructing schools and healthcare facilities.

"Unfortunately Mizoram is giving land rights to their people after encroaching almost 7 km inside our (Assam) territory. But Assam government is evicting its own people in the name of clearing encroachment. When there will be no people, other states will obviously capture our land," he added.

 Indigenous Dimasa-Burmans, Assamese Mizos, Bengali Hindus and ethnic Muslims inhabit the disputed border areas in Cachar district, Gogoi said. He also criticised the Assam government for failing to get the sympathy of other northeastern states and the rest of India even after losing seven persons during the clash.

 "We have seen that a sympathy wave was created in favour of Mizoram after the clash. Assam could not capitalise on the development. It is a failure of the Assam government despite BJP claiming that the state has the most powerful CM of all times in Himanta Biswa Sarma," Gogoi said. The opposition legislator also slammed the state government for failing to ensure Centre"s timely intervention, which could have saved the lives of seven persons.

"Our CM Himanta Biswa Sarma surrendered to the Centre. He even said that Assam would leave its land up to Nalbari in lower Assam, including Guwahati, to Mizoram if the Centre enacts a law. This is shocking!" he added. Gogoi also said that seven CRPF camps were set up on the Assam side and three in Mizoram area after the clash.

"This means more areas in Assam are disputed land and we will lose more land," he said.

 At least six Assam Police personnel and one civilian were killed while defending the "constitutional boundary" of the state with Mizoram and more than 50 people were injured, including Cachar SP, as the festering border dispute between the two northeastern states erupted into a bloody conflict on July 26. PTI

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