Meghalaya CM calls all-party meet on boundary row
July 25th, 2012 - 6:29 pm ICT by IANSShillong, July 25 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has convened an all-party meet here Thursday to discuss the inter-state boundary dispute with Assam.
The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) had pulled out from the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government over the boundary row.
However, the HSPDP kept “on hold” its decision to withdraw support to the Sangma government. Meghalaya has 12 areas of difference on the boundary with Assam.
“My government is serious on this matter (boundary row) and that’s why I have called for an all-party meeting to resolve this issue,” the chief minister told IANS.
Meghalaya became an autonomous state in 1971 and a full-fledged state Jan 21, 1972. Since then, the inter-state boundary as defined under the North Eastern Areas (Re-Organisation) Act, 1971, has been a point of difference between Meghalaya and Assam.
However, the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said that it would not attend the meet.
“Though, we are serious to see a solution to this burning issue but it’s strange that the government didn’t invite us for the all-party meet and, therefore, NCP will not attend the meeting,” Leader of Opposition Conrad K. Sangma, said.
In fact, civil society groups, including politicians under the banner of ‘people’s movement’, had threatened to intensify agitation if the Meghalaya government failed to find a solution to the boundary row.
“If the (Meghalaya) government fails to comply with our demands on the boundary row besides ensuring safety and security to the Khasi-Pnar people (residing in the border areas with Assam), the ‘people’s movement’ will have no option but to launch an agitation,” its chairman, Ardent M. Basaiawmoit, said.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had told IANS that his government wants to settle the boundary row with Meghalaya.
“We want to settle the issue (boundary row) with all our neighbouring states. We want to live peacefully as good neighbours not only with Meghalaya but with all our neighbouring states,” Gogoi said last week.
In fact, the Meghalaya assembly had adopted a resolution March 16 last year, urging the union government to constitute a commission to re-examine and redefine the inter-state boundary between Meghalaya and Assam.
However, the Assam assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing such a commission.
- Meghalaya for a commission to re-define boundary with Assam - Aug 13, 2012
- HSPDP withdraws support to Meghalaya's Congress government - Jul 14, 2012
- 'Commission needed on Meghalaya-Assam boundary dispute' - Dec 21, 2011
- Want to settle border row with neighbours, says Gogoi - Jul 13, 2012
- Help resolve Meghalaya-Assam border dispute: Mukul Sangma - Jul 05, 2012
- 'Assam chief minister should pay house rent to Meghalaya' - Mar 12, 2012
- Meghalaya wants boundary issue with Assam resolved - Mar 16, 2011
- Sangma admits areas close to Assam border neglected - Jun 01, 2010
- Assam, Meghalaya chief ministers to discuss border Saturday - Jun 01, 2010
- Mizoram forms panel for border disputes with Assam, Tripura - Mar 27, 2012
- Threat to Sangma's government in Meghalaya: Minister - Apr 12, 2011
- Meghalaya CM urges coalition partners not to support Sangma - Jul 06, 2012
- NCP moots alliance to take on Sangma's NPP - Aug 28, 2012
- Sharad Pawar dissolves Meghalaya NCP unit - Aug 25, 2012
- Meghalaya for all-party effort on border row with Assam - Jun 03, 2010
Tags: agitation, assam, autonomous state, border areas, boundary dispute, chief minister, civil society groups, eastern areas, gogoi, inter state, khasi, leader of opposition, nationalist congress party, ncp, neighbouring states, pnar, shillong, state boundary, tarun, united alliance