Autonomous State Demand Committee-Youth Front stages sit-in demonstration in Karbi Anglong

Says, Karbi Anglong’s land cannot be shared with others

Our Correspondent

Diphu, Nov. 3 (EMN):  The Autonomous State Demand Committee, Youth Front (ASDC-YF) on Thursday organised a sit-in against the ‘give and take’ policy adopted by the Meghalaya and Assam governments in resolving the inter-state boundary issue and to stop the unilateral survey conducted in West Karbi Anglong by Meghalaya government.

Members of ASDC-YF and ASDC supporters took part in the demonstration held at Semson Sing Ingti Memorial Park in Diphu.

During the demonstration, President ASDC, Chandra Kanta Terang blamed the Assam government for not taking into consideration the views and opinions of the people of the Karbi Anglong before taking any final discussion on inter-state boundary issues.

Terang said that from nine disputed areas between West Karbi Anglong and Meghalaya, 6 have already been settled and three areas are still remaining.

Terang said, “The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma during his previous visit to Diphu has assured us that he will convene an all-party meeting in resolving the inter-state border problem. But till now he has not invited us to the meeting. In 2014 the BJP government in Assam provided land and shelter to Hindu Bangladeshi migrants in Assam. If the Assam government can provide land to Hindu Bangladeshis, then there is no hesitation for CM Sarma to exchange land with Meghalaya in the name of resolving the inter-state border issue.”

The ASDC and the ASDC-YF are against the give-and-take policy adopted by the government of the two states and are adamant about the government notification of 1951 on the border demarcation.

Terang also blamed the Assam government for the lack of response to the people living in border areas and are dependent on the facilities provided by the Meghalaya government. The Assam government and KAAC have failed to develop the border areas.

Chairman of the Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State, Khorsing Teron said there may be differences in political affiliation, but as the sons of the soil, all must stand together and fight together for the protection of the land.

Teron made clear that before parts of Nowgaon, Sibsagar, and Golaghat were made part of Karbi Anglong, the Karbis had their administrative areas. In West Karbi Anglong there are administrative areas like Soceheng, Chintong, Amri, and Rongkhang, while in Karbi Anglong there are administrative areas like Lumbajong and Nilip, which were not taken from others.

In 1970 when Meghalaya created an Autonomous State, the people of Karbi Anglong opted to stay with Assam. It is the responsibility of the state government to resolve the inter-state boundary issue, Teron said.

He also said the KAAC is the first responsible authority while expressing that they should inform the state government about the matters of the inter-state boundary. He said both Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong have a well-defined boundary and neither the Meghalaya government nor the Assam government can create disturbances. Not even an inch of Karbi Anglong’s land cannot be shared with others, Teron reiterated.