Border Dispute: Assam, Meghalaya CMs brief Amit Shah

Guwahati: Assam and Meghalaya chief ministers met with Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to informed him on the ‘give-and-take’ formula reached by both north-eastern states to resolve the decades-old border conflict.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counter-part Conrad Sangma turned to social media after the meeting to provide information.

Sharing the news on Twitter, Sarma wrote “I along with Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma met with home minister Amit Shahji in New Delhi. We apprised the home minister on the outcomes of discussions held between Assam and Meghalaya governments to resolve the border disputes amicably. We are grateful for his guidance.”

Moreover, the Meghalaya CM further shared the news on Twitter and wrote, “Called on home minister Amit Shahji with chief minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and apprised him on the reports of the regional committees. He expressed happiness on the initiative taken by both the states in the matter.”

“Ministry of home affairs will examine the reports and we will meet the home minister again after January 26,” Sangma added.

Both states’ cabinets agreed the ‘give-and-take’ formula for resolving the five-decade-old border conflict in stages on Wednesday. Six of the 12 contested locations will be addressed in the first phase, according to the formula.

Deliberations between the two states have been ongoing since last year, including at the chief ministerial level. Regional committees from both states recently presented findings on the six issues that will be tackled in the first phase.

Hahim, Gizang, Tarabari, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilingkata, and Ratacherra are the six areas that will be finalised. The remaining six areas where the disagreements are more complex will be addressed later.

During a meeting with political parties in Assam on Tuesday, Sarma stated that based on the recommendations of the regional committees Assam will receive 18.51 sq km of the entire 36.8 sq km disputed territory, while Meghalaya will receive the remaining 18.29 sq km.

He further stated that per the terms of the agreements between the two states, Meghalaya will be unable to make any additional claims on Assam territory after the boundary issues in all 12 places are resolved.

It may be noted that in 1972, Meghalaya was created from Assam and the two states share a 733-kilometer border. Several conflicts have occurred between various populations living along the border over the years.

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