Aizawl, March 12 (PTI): The Mizoram Congress Legislature Party has passed a resolution to send state police personnel to occupy the land at Zophai area near the Mizoram-Assam border town of Bairabi where protestors from the state had clashed with Assam Police, a party leader said today.
The meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister and CLP leader Lal Thanhawla yesterday night, felt that the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo Students Federation should be allowed to erect a guest house on the land belonging to the first Mizoram chief minister Ch Chhunga which was donated to the student organisation by his widow, he said.
The CLP also felt that the state police personnel should be sent immediately to the disputed border area.
The governments of Assam and Mizoram are engaged in a dialogue to resolve the border dispute. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held telephonic discussions with his Mizoram counterpart Lal Thanhawla on Saturday.
Mizoram police had alleged on Saturday that a Mizo student was injured in firing by the Assam police at Zopui in Kolasib district. Assam police denied the charge and claimed that the Mizoram students were pushed back when they tried to intrude into the state.
The MZP leaders and activists have been camping in the area to construct a rest house at Zophai to be called 'Zofate Chawlhbuk' on the land belonging to Ch Chhunga.
The administration of Hailakandi in Assam had clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC on March 7 in certain pockets of the district apprehending encroachment attempts from the Mizoram side.
The following day members of several organisations of Mizoram allegedly attempted to intrude into a disputed area of Hailakandi district of Assam and the police had stopped them.
Assam and Mizoram have a long-standing boundary dispute and there had been tension in the Hailakandi-Kolasib region several times in the past too. The ministry of home affairs had sought reports from both states.
