Assam-Meghalaya border row: Karbi groups demand special KAAC session over Block I, Block II

More than 42 representatives of various political and non-political groups in Assam’s Karbi Anglong opposed the move of the Assam government for the transfer of Block I and Block II of West Karbi Anglong district to Meghalaya under its "give-and-take" policy for the settlement of border dispute between the two states.

The meeting organised by the Joint Coordination Committee for Protection of Autonomy (JCCPA), was jointly presided over by Saising Rongpi and Khorsing Teron.

Addressing the meeting, former minister Holiram Terang said, "I do not justify the claim of Meghalaya. If Meghalaya can claim those areas inhabited by Khasis, then should we also claim the area in Meghalaya where Karbis are living? This is not the solution to the border dispute. It should be based on facts and documents."

"The inter-state boundary dispute should be resolved through the notification of the Assam government in 1951," Terang said.

Terang also said that the original boundary line, "Saisima", is now far from the present boundary as all boundary pillars have been shifted by the people from the Meghalaya side as the Assam government has no control over the border areas.

The organisations also demanded chief executive member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang convene a special session of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to oppose the Assam government’s move the transfer the Block I and Block II under the second phase of chief minister-level talks between Conrad Sangma and Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The speakers of the meeting blamed the Assam government for the lack of development of border areas due to which neighboring states have come up to grab land in border areas and develop infrastructures like roads, electricity, and communication.

CPI (ML) – HPC secretary Robi Kumar Phangcho said: "The boundary between the two states has been demarcated in 1951. But the government is now making it a political issue. If the government fails to protect our border, the public should have the right to protest."

"When ASDC was in power, we spent 10 percent of the budget for the development of the border. Now the government is not spending a single penny for border development.

"And the area we developed at that time, the roads built are under the possession of Meghalaya," Phangso said.
"Once Saisima was the border between the two states, now it is far from the border," he said.

"Now NPP is trying to come to power again on the pretext of resolving the border dispute with Assam," he said and added ``Similar situation in the border from Nagaland side also," he further said.

Speaking on the occasion, former Executive Member (EM) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Humsing Bey said ."We need need to send a strong message to both state governments of Assam and Meghalaya opposing give and take policy. We should not compromise on the boundary issue."
 

"We should all unite on the boundary issue. We should not compromise with it. The give-and-take policy should be opposed. If needed, we should launch a joint movement for it," said Protima Enghipi, general secretary, Karbi Nimso Chingthur Asong (KNCA)- Karbi women organisation backed by CPI-ML.

Karbi Students Union (KSU) president Samson Teron stressed public pressure on the government.

"Orginal boundary pillars have been removed by the people of Meghalaya and the border has been pushed back to at least five km inside Assam. Not these areas under their possession and our government is doing nothing for it," said.
Lunse Timung, former EM and a noted Karbi writer added that a team of Karbi organisations should visit the real border for study.
Earlier, JCCPA general secretary Rabaindra Rongpi spoke about the object of the meeting.

Welcome Teron, Ramsing Tokbi, David Rongpi, Harsing Ronghang, Kajek Tokbipi, Beaulet Beypi, Moniram Teron, Sumit Timung, Jiban Bey, Litsong Rongphar, and Gobin Tokbi took part in the deliberation.

The meeting put forward their opinion in emphatic unanimity that Karbi Anglong should stick to the boundaries notified in 1951.

The meeting resolved that the claim of transfer of certain areas of West Karbi Anglong to Meghalaya is an unnecessary issue, as all matters concerning the boundary between the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills district and the Mikir Hills Autonomous district (now Karbi Anglong) had been resolved by mutual consent on based on the report of the Commission constituted by notification No TAD/R/31/50 on October 3, 1950, when the boundaries of the later (Mikir Hills) were notified by notification No TAD/R/31/50/151 on April 13, 1951. So, there was and is no ‘border dispute’ between Assam’s West Karbi Anglong and Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts. The dispute is an invented one raised by some vested interest groups of people to destabilize the prevailing peace and tranquillity along the border.

"Therefore, it is resolved that the KAAC should not allow the inclusion of West Karbi Anglong in the process of give-and-take," the resolution of the meeting said."

"The CEM should exercise his good offices to dissuade the chief minister from taking West Karbi Anglong in the process of discussion," the resolution of the meeting stated.

"The meeting also resolved that a joint delegation of all party/organizations and leading citizens should be deputed to submit a memorandum to the CEM with the appeal to convene an all-party meeting and a special session of the KAAC to discuss the matter and adopt a resolution against any move of the state government to transfer area(s) that fall right within the notified boundaries of Karbi Anglong (bifurcated in 2016)," the resolution of the meeting stated..

Secondly, a joint delegation should also be deputed to submit a memorandum to the chief minister urging him not to include Block I and II, Khanduli and Pesiar in the process of the "give and take policy".

The meeting further resolved to mobilise strong public opinion against the transfer of certain areas to Meghalaya has been felt necessary. Therefore, it is resolved to chalk out a widespread agitation programme for the formation of strong public opinion against the "give-and-take" policy in respect of the border along Meghalaya and West Karbi Anglong.