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Assam-Mizoram interstate clash exposed intel-failure of State, Centre: APCC

By Staff Correspondent
Assam-Mizoram interstate clash exposed intel-failure of State, Centre: APCC
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Silchar, July 28: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has said that the incident at the Assam Mizoram interstate border in Cachar district on Monday in which six jawans of Assam Police lost their lives and 42 police officials including former Cachar SP Vaibhav Nimbalkar sustained injuries has exposed the intelligence failure of the State Government as well as the Central Government in putting a check on the rising tension over border dispute between the two neighboring states.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi who was in Silchar on Wednesday along with the APCC delegation said "the meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram on the interstate border issue held in Shillong last Saturday has been a flop show. They met, clicked pictures but there was no solution to the rising tension along the interstate border. The Union Home Minister is busy with what developments are there with Pegasus spyware and perhaps found no time to focus on the developments along the two neighboring states of North East which have been going on since last many months. This is a planned incompetence of the State and Central Governments. We demand an inquiry into the incident at the interstate border and a statement from the Union Home Minister on what were the discussions held in the meeting at Shillong should be made public." He further said "people of the North East aspire for peace and cooperation. But unfortunately, we are living in a divisive environment."

Another Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said that the Congress party expresses serious concerns on the developments along the interstate border and never wants clashes between the neighboring states. He demanded a judicial inquiry and urged everyone to stand united amidst the circumstances. Leader of the opposition in the Assembly, Debabrata Saikia informed that the conflict with Mizoram over border issue has been going on for over nine months and informed that in a recent question raised in the Assembly on July 12, he could learn that as many as 209 times efforts were made by neighboring states to encroach Assam land in which 127 cases were registered and 3 persons were arrested so far. He also added to inform that at least 42 times in the last five years, efforts were made by Mizoram to encroach Assam land which is a matter of grave concern.

Deputy leader of opposition Rockybul Hussain termed the statement of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma who is also in charge of the State Home Department that "if Parliament decides to handover Barak Valley, Guwahati or even Nalbari to Mizoram, the State Government would have no issues on the decision," as utterly unfortunate and disappointing in the interest of the people of the state. The statement by the Chief Minister hints at a deeper issue, as observed by the intellectual section and raises some vital questions as well. "The incident at the Assam-Mizoram border in Cachar district is a total intelligence failure," Hussain maintained. He thanked Assam Police for standing the ground amidst hostile situations and protecting lives of the people of the state.

All India Mahila Congress committee president and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev questioned the role of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and said "We are all united to guard our land. But Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma must look into and decide which is important to him- being the Chief Minister of Assam or convener of NEDA." APCC working president and North Karimganj MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha expressed disappointment over Chief Minister's remarks on no objection of the State Government if Parliament decides to give away Assam land to Mizoram.

On the other hand, the Congress leaders expressed serious disappointment after they were not allowed to move to Lailapur market by district administration officials earlier in the day. "This is not an India-Pakistan border; rather an interstate border and we wanted to take stock of the situation and meet our people living along the interstate fence. But strangely we were stuck near Dholai police station. We condole the unfortunate death of brave jawans of Assam police and also wish for the quick recovery of the injured police personnel including the former Cachar SP ," APCC chief Bhupen Bora said.

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