Shillong, Sep 16: Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma on Thursday informed the House that Assam and Meghalaya in the first phase to resolve the border dispute will work on less complicated areas.
Sangma said that the six areas of differences in the first phase are Tarabari, Zizang, Hahim, Pilangkata-Khanapara, Boklapara and Ratacherra.
“The reason why we went into these is that we have seen in the past, these are smaller areas, lesser complicated compared to the other areas like Langpih, Khnaduli, Psiar, Block I and II. “We are not going to say that we will solve all six of them,†the Chief Minister said.
Sangma also said that historical facts and documentations and land records would be the guiding documents for the government in taking the border talks forwards but other factors will also be important.
He also said that Chief Minister of Assam and he and other colleagues in the Cabinet strongly felt that they need to look at the ethnicity of the people living in the areas of differences, the people’s desire and their will in those areas and administrative convenience.
“But historical facts and documentation will play a very important part of the entire discussion,†Sangma added.
Mawsynram MLA, H. M. Shangpliang said that his mind is clear on the issue that not an inch of land should be given to Assam.
“There is nothing that we should give to Assam. Rather, we should take away all our land that are ethnically and culturally dominated by our people which are in Assam,†Shangpliang added.
Leader of opposition, Dr. Mukul Sangma said that the documentations compiled by the previous Congress government to lay the state’s claim over the areas of difference should be the basis for the talks.
Dr. Sangma also asked the government to provide every MLA the documentation.
