With a hope that the boundary dispute issue will get solved before the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Independence, Alexander Laloo Hek, a BJP legislator in Meghalaya who is also Cabinet Minister in NPP-led MDA government in the state, is trying to break ice between the new government of Assam and the Meghalaya government.
The vexed boundary dispute issue is a decades old problem between Assam and Meghalaya and needs an amicable solution. Now Hek has taken upon himself to initiate the official dialogue with the Assam Government on Interstate Boundary Row.
He met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday in Guwahati and discussed resuming the CM-level talk between these two states.
Interestingly, in his endeavour, the legislator has roped in regional party United Democratic Party (UDP), as BJP along with UDP has decided to move forward to get the issues resolved. A delegation of United Democratic Party (UDP), regional party alliance in the ruling MDA government in Meghalaya led by its working President Bindo M Lanong, and its leader Jemino Mawthoh on Monday called on Hek to discuss the vexed boundary dispute issue.
“Both UDP and BJP are parts of the state government, we are not different from the MDA government, we are one only….we are concerned about the border dispute in our state. Therefore, I met Himanta Bishwa personally to resolve the issue,” the Health Minister said on Monday.
He also stated that before moving ahead, discussions are being held between the regional party UDP and BJP to jointly worked to seek the solution.
“This is the intention of the NDA government under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. They want to resolve the issue before we celebrate the independence of our country,” Hek said, adding that the aim is also to set the ball rolling before the Golden Jubilee celebration of the state.
Meanwhile, UDP working president Bindo M Lanong said, “Last year we met the chief minister on this matter. We had a joint delegation of UDP and HSPDP and we met the chief Minister on two three issues. One of the issue s is about the boundary and we gave the same to the chief minister given him in writing and requested him to take up the matter with the then chief minister of Assam. I hope he has taken it up as after that we did not get any response from him.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah in January urged all the states in the region to solve their boundary disputes by August 15, 2022 when the country celebrates 75 years of Independence.
Praising chief Minister Conrad Sangma, UDP leader Jemino Mawthoh said, “Whether it’s official or unofficial, the dialogue process is going on. This is a long pending issue which needs to be resolved.”
He also said that the vexed issue has affected the interstate relationship.
Meanwhile, the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government has decided to start on a clean slate by resolving the vexed boundary dispute.
“With the new leadership in Assam, a leadership with a very positive mindset and (having) good relationship with Meghalaya leadership, we are hopeful that we will find an amicable solution,” Sangma told reporters on Monday.
Asserting the need to look into all documentations with a very open mind, Sangma said, “We will start with a clean slate as the objective is not to find faults but to find a solution.”
Stating that the issue is very critical, Sangma said, “I again stress on the need for an amicable solution which is going to be acceptable to both the parties. Whatever process that would allow us to achieve that goal, we are open for a discussion on it.”
“We have a new leadership in Assam so let us now take things forward, let there be an official meeting first…let us have a fresh start to the entire process and in this fresh start we will think of all the options that are there,” he added.
The Chief Minister said it was impossible for him to say with certainty if the CM-level border talks will materialise during his tenure.
“However, what is important to realise is that as a leader we need to decide on certain things and move forward. History is going to judge us on this moment that we decide or don’t decide. Therefore, we need to look at the big picture. We as a government will do whatever it takes to move this discussion forward and find an amicable solution but then if the solution is not acceptable to our people and us, then we will not allow that to overcome the situation and allow Meghalaya to suffer,” he assured.
On the request of the Centre to resolve the boundary dispute among the NE states by next year, the Chief Minister said this would all depend on how the border talks move forward.
“Yes, the union home minister had desired that before the 75th year of India’s Independence of the country that all these issues not only with Meghalaya and Assam. But Assam and other states also should be resolved. Therefore, it will be our endeavour to resolve this within that time frame. But it all depends on how the talks moves forward, on how we handle the situation,” he added.
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