No question of revisiting MoU: CM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 27, 2022

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday reiterated that revisiting the MoU signed in respect of the 6 areas of difference would go against the principles based on which the decision was arrived at.  

“If we open up the subject of revisiting then the entire exercise we have done will be a waste and we have to start from scratch again. I don’t mind that but we have done the best we could and we have gained in a large way and the majority of the people in areas are happy in areas where we have resolved,” Conrad told reporters.

He said some have raised concerns but he had already clarified that those areas were not part of the discussion in any case adding “Suddenly they came and say we are left out is unfair because it was not left out by us, it was left out in 2011.”

“(Therefore, if we are to revisit and change those things then we are again going against the principles which we have come to a conclusion,” he said.

On the KHADC’s decision to file a petition against the signing of MoU for transferring tribal lands falling under the five Himas to Assam, the chief minister however said he has nothing to say as everybody has the right to take a stand but the government had tried its best to find an amicable solution.

He also claimed that the government had had consultations with almost all traditional heads and the district councils and said “at every step along the way, they have been part of the discussion.”

“What we are trying to do here is trying to find a solution to a problem and a complicated issue like this cannot be solved by us putting documents on the table and them putting documents on the table,” he added.

Understanding the sentiments of the people that all areas of difference should come to Meghalaya, Conrad however said, “But we need to realize that practically speaking that will not be possible as Assam will have more documents and maps than we do because initially Meghalaya was drawn out of Assam.”

“…if we stick to the original maps and documentations I think we would never be able to resolve the problem and we would still be having meetings and coming out with a conclusion of maintaining the status quo but that is not the solution. Therefore, we took a stand and we went ahead keeping in mind the larger interest and that at some point of time we need to find a solution to this very vexed issue, which has caused a lot of inconvenience to the people especially those living in the border areas,” he said.

Referring to the allegation of the Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma that MDA has become a victim of manipulation by signing the MoU, the chief minister however categorically maintained that the question of manipulation does not arise at all as the exercise has been in a very proper and detailed manner.

Conrad said that he does not understand what the LO really means by manipulation “because as far as I remember and as far as I know and as far as the documentations goes, the entire documentations for what Meghalaya has demanded or the disputed areas that Meghalaya has shown, the report was prepared by him (LO) and his government at that point in time.”

“It was based on that document where he showed the villages that were under dispute, we went ahead and started our discussion with the Assam government. Some people have questioned me why we have left out certain villages, I have given a simple reply that we have not left out anybody. We have fought for those villages and those areas under which the report was given in 2011. “

He further alleged that there may be a mistake from the then government and the then chief minister where he and his government had left out the villages that should have been included in the 2011 report submitted to Assam.  

“And it is quite to see that there are certain villages where the government then had mentioned as disputed villages but in the map which they gave in that report, that village was shown in Assam – so maybe it is a manipulation from their side at that point in time but I can assure you there is no manipulation here.”

Lauding the efforts made by the two state governments on the issue, Conrad said if the Government of India and the states of Meghalaya and Assam not committed to resolving the issue “we wouldn’t have seen this discussion come this far”.

He said it is unfair for any individual to say that manipulation is done by Assam.

“Assam has been very broad minded in the sense that there are lots of villages that were brought under the administrative control of Assam which were shown in the disputed areas and we managed to get those back to us as people of those areas wanted to be in Meghalaya,” he said.

“Now some people and political leaders have mentioned that 18 square kilometers have gone to Assam – number one the exact square kilometers will only be determined once the pillars or the actual line is drawn which will be done after a joint survey with Survey of India. That is only an estimated figure but the actual figures will come once the actual survey is done. Secondly, a large portion of this 18.6 sq km which is mentioned in Assam is actually the Gizang reserved forest and the Gizang reserved forest is already in Assam in terms of the notification for the reserved forest areas which was done under Assam. There is no public habitation there, there are no people, no villages in that area so therefore, that itself made up a large chunk,” he said while asserting the need to see in terms of the villages that have come to the state.

In this entire process the Assam government has stuck to its principles and ensure that the will of the people is heard and wherever within the list of disputed villages which was given in 2011, the villages that desires to come to Meghalaya, Assam did not create any opposition to it, it went ahead with the will of the people and that is how we managed to get almost 21 out of 23 villages in West Khasi Hills areas, the chief minister stated.