Assam, Meghalaya Sign Historic Pact To Settle Border Dispute

The state governments of Assam and Meghalaya on Tuesday signed a historic agreement in Delhi to resolve a 50-year old inter-state boundary issues.

The Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad Sangma, signed the agreement in presence of Union home minister Amit Shah in the national capital.

The agreement was signed by the two CMs in the presence of the chief secretaries of both the states along other officials of the states and Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) officials, reported ANI.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Assam and Meghalaya after a draft resolution was submitted by the CMs of both states to Shah for consideration two months ago on January 31.

The two state governments had come up with the draft resolution to resolve the border disputes in six of the 12 disputed areas along the 884 kilometers inter-state boundary.

Assam will keep 18.51 square kilometers, while Meghalaya will get 18.28 square kilometers of the 36.79 square kilometers total disputed land, according to the proposed recommendations.

The agreement between the two northeastern states in significant with the issue pending for a very long time.

The dispute was sparked in 1972 when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam. The border issues rose as a result of different readings of the demarcation of boundaries in the initial agreement for the new state's creation.

Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah following the historic agreement. He said that the issues were not resolved under Congress’s reign.

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CM Sarma said, “Congress is to be blamed for the long-standing border issues. The remaining border issues in the Northeast will be resolved soon.”

“The border issue had been there since 1972 and dispute over six areas have now been resolved out of the 12 areas,” he added.

CM Sarma further said, “The Assam – Arunachal border disputes will be resolved soon while talks with Nagaland over similar issues will also be held at the earliest.”

The Assam CM informed that he also invited PM Modi to visit the state in April – May.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said that the PM and Home Minister had given the necessary push to resolve the long-pending border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya.

CM Sangma said, "There has been a lot of push from Prime Minister and Home Minister that they would like to see that these differences (Assam-Meghalaya border issue) are resolved because if India and Bangladesh can resolve the border issues then why can't the states also. This is the stand they took.”

The Meghalaya CM further said that the process to resolve the dispute has been going on for several years.

"It is a process and the process has been going on for a long time. Everybody has done their part, contributed in their own way. The push was given in last few years by the Centre and both state governments," he said.

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