Meghalaya government least concerned in solving border issues, claims Trinamool Congress

The Trinamool Congress slammed the Meghalaya government on Sunday, January 8, claiming that Assam and Meghalaya are working together to expedite the signing of a memorandum of understanding in order to end the contentious border dispute between the two neighboring states.

The opposition party also claimed that the Centre is a party to a tacit agreement between two governments.
Meghalaya TMC vice president George B. Lyngdoh stated that the state government's appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court's stay order raises questions, adding, "What is surprising is that the case was represented by the Solicitor General of India." In most cases, the Union government is represented by the solicitor general, but in this instance, the Additional Solicitor General appeared before the Supreme Court.

He went on to say, "There is a strong understanding between the central government and the state government to ensure that the border memorandum of understanding is implemented on the ground despite protests and oppositions from the traditional heads and people living in those areas, who are forced to relinquish their land in Meghalaya and give it away to Assam."

He said, "The solicitor general submitted that the MoU does not propose to alter the boundaries of either Meghalaya or Assam so this statement totally defeats the very purpose of the MoU." He also said that the state government's appeal and the representation made by the Solicitor General, who appeared on behalf of the Meghalaya government, both point to a covert agreement between the union and the state government.

According to him, the state government has completely ceded power to Assam and the federal government. The government of Meghalaya is not acting in the state's best interest. “It is giving Assam our own land,” he added.
Additionally, "the state government is not caring for tribal rights," he added. It would appear that the covert goal is to ensure that the entire MoU is completed quickly and that no judicial intervention is allowed to prevent the state governments from removing the traditional lands.
 

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