Amid the border tension with Mizoram, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said he doesn't mind the neighboring state filing an FIR against him, but would not allow state officers to be investigated.
While speaking to the media, Assam Chief Minister said his government will go to Supreme Court to resolve the boundary dispute with Mizoram.
"I'm happy if filing an FIR against me resolves the issue, I'll go and appear before any police station. But I will not allow our officers to be investigated. We will go to Supreme Court to resolve the boundary dispute," said Sarma.
The development came after Mizoram police filed criminal cases against Sarma, four senior officers of the state police, and two more officials on Friday, days after the border dispute between the two states peaked and a fierce gun battle between the forces of the two states resulted in the death of five Assam police personnel and one civilian, said the officials.
On Saturday, a day after the FIR was filed in the Kolasib district of Mizoram, Sarma demanded an NIA probe into the matter and claimed as the clash took place in the territory of Assam, so the jurisdiction lies within the state. "But if a case is registered then it is good. The case should be given to NIA so that it can investigate it," he said.
Himanta Biswa Sarma said he has already spoken to Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on this issue.
"Will be very happy to join in any investigation. But why the case is not being handed over to a neutral agency, especially when the place of occurrence is well within the constitutional territory of Assam? Have already conveyed this to Mizoram CM Zoramthanga," tweeted Assam CM
Meanwhile, with efforts continuing to defuse border tensions between Assam and Mizoram, the row and the violence earlier this week are likely to be raised in the Parliament by BJP MPs from Assam on Monday.
Sources said that the MPs can raise the issue under rule 377.
Under Rule 377 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business on Lok Sabha, members raise matters of urgent public importance that cannot be raised as short notice questions and calling attention motions, said sources.
( With inputs from ANI )
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