GUWAHATI, Oct 10 � The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) will jointly move the Government of India as well as the governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to take effective steps for permanent solution of the inter-state boundary disputes. This decision was taken at a meeting of the student bodies held at Charaipung this afternoon at the behest of the North East Students' Organization (NESO).
Talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, NESO chairman Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the meeting was a part of the effort by NESO to improve relation between the states of the regions. He said NESO would continue to put pressure on the Centre for permanent solution of the border disputes among all the states of the region.
Bhattacharya said today's meeting expressed the opinion that the border disputes between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh could not be solved because of the failure of the Centre and State Government to take effective steps in this regard. The Centre wants to keep the problems alive as a part of its divide and rule policy, the meeting alleged.
The meeting decided that efforts should be taken to improve the relation between the people living on both sides of the border and it was decided that regular meetings by the student bodies involving local people and gaonburhas would be organised to ensure peace and harmony. The meeting called upon the governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to ensure that the patrolling by the police personnel does not affect the common people.
The AASU members expressed concern at the activities of the armed militant groups along the inter-state border areas. The AASU members further said that members of the NSCN, who are taking shelter in Arunachal Pradesh, are even issuing extortion notices to the small tea gardens located in the area. The AAPSU members demanded that the territory of Arunachal Pradesh should not be allowed to be used by any armed group as their activities would only create misunderstanding between the people of both the states.
Apart from members of AASU and AAPSU, the meeting was also attended by representatives of different organisations including gaonburhas, small tea garden owners, Tirap Students' Union and others.
