“Fix the border issue now or wait for another 50 years”, Meghalaya deputy CM warns stakeholders

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• Apr 6, 2022 | Dhupali Das

This statement from Meghalaya’s deputy chief minister comes after a series of protests in the state against the border pact signed by the state government and its Assam counterpart on March 29. 

Digital Desk: Prestone Tynsong, deputy chief minister of Meghalaya, has asked the stakeholders to welcome the provisions of the border agreement signed with Assam on March 29.

The deputy CM stated that if stakeholders do not accept the border agreement signed with Assam, it will take another 50 years to settle the border issues between the two states.  

“I ask all stakeholders to accept one reality, if we don’t fix the Assam-Meghalaya border issue now, we won’t be able to resolve it for the next 50 years,” Tynsong said.

This statement from Meghalaya’s deputy chief minister comes after a series of protests in the state against the border pact signed by the state government and its Assam counterpart on March 29. 

Reportedly, many stakeholders in Meghalaya have threatened to take the border agreement matter with Assam to the Supreme Court if it’s not re-evaluated.

“When there is a difference or a dispute, we ought to make adjustments to settle the dispute, which our government is doing,” said the deputy CM.

Previously, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma expressed dissatisfaction with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) response to the border settlement agreement signed on March 29 in New Delhi between Meghalaya and Assam.

CM Conrad Sangma defined the TMC’s reaction to signing the pact with Assam as “disturbing.”

The Meghalaya opposition parties accused the state government of failing to discuss with the stakeholders before signing the border deal with Assam.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma signed an agreement on March 29 to settle border conflict between the two states in six out of 12 areas of difference along the inter-state border.

The agreement was signed in New Delhi by the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 29.

The six points of contention to be fixed in the first phase, for which an agreement was signed between Assam and Meghalaya, are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara – Philangkata, and Ratachera.