Union Minister for State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Wednesday informed the Upper house that discussions have been going on at various levels between Assam and Meghalaya to arrive at an amicable solution to the border issue.
This comes after BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Assam Bhubaneswar Kalita asked whether it is a fact that high-level discussions were held by the Central government with the state governments of Assam and Meghalaya to resolve the long-pending border dispute between the two states.
In a written reply, Rai said, "Discussions have been going on at various levels between Assam and Meghalaya to arrive at an amicable solution to the border issue."
"The approach of the Central government has consistently been that inter-state boundary issues can be resolved only with the cooperation of the State Governments concerned and that the Central government acts as a facilitator for amicable settlement of the boundary issue in the spirit of mutual co-operation and understanding," he stated.
The minister further informed that the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya have agreed to permanent settlement of the inter-state boundary in respect of six areas of difference, out of a total of 12 areas of difference between these two states.
The border dispute between Assam and Mizoram erupted in clashes and resulted in the death of six and injured at least 50 Assam police personnel, including the Cachar district superintendent of police, in the bordering areas of Lailapur (Cachar district, Assam) and Vairengte (Kolasib district, Mizoram) on 26 July 2021.
In the 164.6 kilometres of Assam-Mizoram border, there are certain disputed locations in the Assam-Mizoram border, and this has resulted in confrontations between the two states since the formation of Mizoram as a state.
( With inputs from ANI )
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