Meghalaya keen to start on clean slate for resolving border dispute with Assam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 28, 2021

The National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government has decided to start on a clean slate for resolving the vexed boundary dispute with neighbouring Assam.   

“With the new leadership in Assam, a leadership with a very positive mindset and (having) good relationship with Meghalaya leadership, we are hopeful that with a clean…we will move forward and try to find an amicable solution,” Chief Minister Conrad K 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 very clean slate as the objective is really not to find faults or mistakes or what has happened but it is to find a solution.”

Stating that the issue is very critical, Sangma said, “I again stressed on 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 discussion…when the official discussion takes place.”

“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 also said that it was impossible for him to say with certainty that CM-level border talks will materialize or not 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 a 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 however 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 endeavor and our desire to resolve this within that time frame (2022) but it all depends on how the talks moves forward…it all depends on how we are able to handle the situation and really ensure that we find an amicable solution, so it all depends on the discussion that takes place,” he said.

The Chief Minister also informed that in the last one-two years, the Union Home Minister has been very keen that the border issues are resolved earliest.

“The government of India has been sending us messages and information asking us to move forward in this line. The union home minister has mentioned that when countries like India and Bangladesh can resolve their issues, why states within the country can’t resolve the issue,” he added.

Last week, Senior BJP leader and Health minister A L Hek called on Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma and requested him to re-start the chief minister level talk to resolve the boundary dispute between Meghalaya and Assam.

Asked as to when he would take up the issue at his level, the Chief Minister however said that lots of discussions and talks have been taking place with his counterpart but at an unofficial level.

“…discussion at an unofficial level has been going on with the Chief Minister of Assam even before he took over and even after he took over as Chief Minister,” he said.

Sangma also informed that he had met Sarma over a friendly-dinner at Guwahati last week.

“We sat almost 3 hours together and many such topics came out including the border issue also…we have been discussing this in much detail with him,” he said while adding that he had also briefed his cabinet colleagues about the unofficial meeting with the Assam CM.