Shillong: Former Union Minister Vincent Pala, who is the sitting Congress Lok Sabha member from Shillong, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to address the boundary issues in the North-Eastern region at the earliest.
Recent occurrences in North-East India have once again highlighted the violent clashes and disputes over inter-state boundaries that have threatened the peace and stability of the region for decades now. It is widely acknowledged that, excluding the princely states of Tripura and Manipur, all other states have a long boundary dispute with Assam,” Pala wrote to the Prime Minister.
In his letter to Modi on Thursday, the veteran Congress parliamentarian said that the vexed inter-state boundary with Assam has also given rise to disputes over land, forest resources and ethnic clashes, and can be seen in relations of Assam viz-a-viz states like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
“ … it has been observed that, for reasons best known to the present BJP-led Government of Assam, such conflicts have not only been on the rise but have also taken a much more aggressive turn. Consequently, a sense of fear, insecurity and alarm is perceived among the residents of these border areas,” Pala informed the Prime Minister.
“We have covered a long way in neutralizing certain violent and disturbing threats to the
peace of the region and such apprehensions do not augur well for the progress that has been made,” the former Union Minister wrote.
Noting that “provocations and aggressive posturing at the borders of smaller states are perilous to healthy neighbourly relations,” Pala urged the Prime Minister to address the boundary disputes at the earliest.
“The progress of the region has been fought for long and hard, and it would be a matter of great regret to let that wither away. I earnestly hope that this matter is taken up urgently so as to establish cordial relations and resolve such disputes in a timely manner,” he urged the Prime Minister.
