Shillong Feb 11: A protest against the delay to resolve the long pending inter-state boundary dispute between Meghalaya and Assam will be organized by the Hynñiewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) in Shillong next week.

HANM president Lamphrang Kharbani told reporters that his organisation would stage a sit-in-demonstration at the parking lot near Additional Secretariat on February 20, and this would mark the start of agitation to put pressure on the state government to speed up the process of resolving the dispute.

Kharbani said that the people of the state have not forgotten the assurance made before the Assembly polls by the leader of the National People’s Party (NPP), Prestone Tynsong on this issue.

“The NPP leader who is now the Deputy Chief Minister has assured that if the NPP is elected to power, it would find out ways and means to resolve the issue. Now that they (NPP) are ruling the state, they have to fulfill what was promised to the people,” Kharbani said.

Kharbani also said that it would be of no meaning to talk about development when the state cannot protect its land from illegal encroachment.

“We would be compelled to take stern action if the state government continues to be adamant,” he warned, adding that if required, the HANM would also meet Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal to seek his intervention, besides seeking the Centre’s intervention.

The HANM also supported the recent petition filed by the Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on the matter.