PTI
ITANAGAR, FEBRUARY 12
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]runachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has exhorted Assam Sahitya Sabha (ASS) to make all out efforts to strengthen the age-old relations between the two neighbouring states following the January 29 killing of 11 CPI-ML supporters near the inter-state boundary with Assam.
“The Tarasso/Chualdhua incident should have never occurred as I had expedited the visit of Supreme Court constituted Local Boundary Commission headed by retired high court judge Tarun Chatterjee and members M K Naidu and S K Goel, which visited 12 disputed areas, to take stock of the ground realities by interacting with the people,” Tuki told a nine-member ASS team accompanied by members of Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS) met him here yesterday.
The Commission’s last visit was to Tarasso, Gumto and Kimin under Papumpare district of Arunachal Pradesh, Likabali under West Siang, Gerukamukh and Dollungmukh under Lower Subansiri between November 12 to 14 last year, official sources said today quoting Tuki. “Both the state governments took immediate steps to bring back normalcy and the Sonitpur (Assam) and Papum Pare (Arunachal Pradesh) districts administrations have been conducting investigations. I have urged the home ministry for an independent probe,” he said and suggested media teams of both states to visit the affected area.
Tuki said the two states are inseparable as their people have close social, cultural and linguistic affinity. Lakhs of Assamese are living in Arunachal Pradesh and the same is the case for Arunachalees with strong matrimonial ties with Assamese people.
The ASS team, led by its vice-president Paramananda Rajbangshi, was on a goodwill mission along with the members of APLS to express solidarity with the people of Arunachal Pradesh. They submitted a memorandum seeking punishment of those guilty in the incident, finding an acceptable and amicable solution to the boundary row and measures to cement the bilateral ties further.
The economic blockade by groups in Assam was unequivocally condemned by the chief minister, the ASS and APLS who said it was not justified as innocent people of both states suffered due to it. Tuki said responsible NGOs like ASS and APLS could play a pivotal role in cementing the bilateral relations between the two states and agreed to Rajbongshi’s suggestion to conduct a good will tour by both NGOs to some disputed boundary areas.
He also agreed to cultural exchange programmes besides inaugurating Lummer Dai Centre for NE Cultural Research at Bihupuria in Assam in April.
The centre would be a symbol of strong unity, amity and love between both the states, Tuki said and assured help to ASS, the sources said.
