KSA presaged Manipur like situation if Karbi lost their lands while Regional Committee maintained KAAC’s Entry Tax stand removed

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 16, 2023

Though, there is no official announcement regarding the removal of the Entry Tax Gate established by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) four months ago in the jurisdiction of Khanduli Village but the Entry Tax Gate stand removed as on Wednesday this week as per statement of Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and Chairman Regional Committee, West Jaintia Hills District (WJHD) Sniawbhalang Dhar and Assam Water Resources Minister and Chairman Regional Committee West Karbi Anglong District (WKAD) Pijush Hazarika.

The official members of the Regional Committee from both WJHD and WKAD went to Khanduli Village under Namdong C&RD Block of WJHD and convened a meeting with the office bearers of the Dorbar Shnong Khanduli (DSK) at the local football field of Khanduli followed by a meeting with the representatives of Karbi people.

In the first meeting with the office bearers of Dorbar Shnong Khanduli, the Chairman, Regional Committee WJHD and the Chairman Regional Committee WKAD received a memorandum from the DSK where they incorporated their three points demands viz., firstly the Entry Tax Gate of KAAC should be removed immediately, secondly the Assam police posted at the Entry Tax Gate should be withdraw immediately and lastly the Assam Police Camp in Khanduli should be removed.

At the end of the first meeting, the members of two Regional Committees went for inspecting the KAAC’s Entry Tax Gate in Khanduli or Am-ih as claimed by Assam and they concluded the Entry Tax Gate is no longer there while the Assam Police are claimed by WKAD administration to be still deployed for maintaining peace and harmony in the areas and they continued the inspection till Zero Point, which is taken as the boundary of West Jaintia Hills District.

After the physical inspection of the two areas, the members of the Regional Committee convened a meeting with the representatives of Karbi people and the leaders of the Karbi organizations namely Karbi Students Association (KSA), Socheng Amreng Border Development Committee, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) amongst others.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Dhar said the Entry Tax Gate was there before but it is no longer there while the Assam Police continue to be there for law and order. He also said that the Regional Committee of the two states visited the areas for building up confidence amongst the people and also to ensure peace and harmony in the areas. Dhar said that the respective Regional Committee will brief the Chief Minister of both States on whatever takes places during their visit.

Maintaining that the Entry Tax Gate in Khanduli is no longer there, Hazarika said that the KAAC cannot levy taxes from the people of Meghalaya but they are entitled legally to levy taxes from people of Karbi Anglong and he also confidently added that tax can also be collected by Police. He also said “I will apprise my Chief Minister on today’s proceeding and also on the memorandums that I have received in both the meetings.”

Reiterating their stands for not parting an inch of their lands to Meghalaya, Karbi Students Association (KSA) President Mirjeng Kro presaged, “if we lose our lands to Meghalaya then a Manipur like situation will happen.” He also said they are standing firmly on the fact that “our boundary of Karbi Anglong has been constitutionally defined” and there is no ground as to why should their lands should be transfer back to Meghalaya.