Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the inter-state border dispute of Assam with three North Eastern States is based on historical facts versus the constitutionally defined boundaries.
Speaking on the inter-state border dispute, Sarma said that boundary issues of states like Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have arisen due to the reason that while Assam follows the Survey of India registered boundary map with all these states.
On the other hand, the three states claim Assam land-based on colonial legacy when the British named these areas in the name of tribal kings in all these states.
Sarma said that Assam has been all along accommodative of demand of its neighbouring states and have never objected to the parting of any of its land during the formation of these states.
“Intentionally, these land issues were not addressed so keep the region on tenterhooks,” Sarma said on the floor of the assembly.
Speaking on border conflict with Mizoram he said, “The Mizoram government, on the basis of historical facts, has been claiming the Inner –Line Reserve Forest surrounding the border of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj district along the border. During the Covid pandemic last year, the Mizoram government established various Covid testing centres. Later they deployed police in those centres and pushed the border to the Assam side.”
He said the main reason that both the governments have not been able to maintain the status quo in border areas is that Mizoram has demanded to carry on economic activities in the areas belonging to Assam.
Sarma said for the past year, the practice of Jhum cultivation by Mizo people in by-in areas belonging to Hailakandi and Cachar district has gone up.
He said after the July 26 conflict where six people lost their lives, Assam Police has set up 20 new Border Outposts in Barak valley to check encroachment. The Chief Minister said roads are also constructed in forest areas to keep a vigil of any advancement.
Sarma also claimed that Mizoram has not been able to encroach Assam’s land for the past two months. Instead, the Assam government has been able to recover 200 hectares of land encroached by Mizoram in the past years.
