Guwahati: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday said the disputed Mukroh village is very much a part of the northeastern state.
Tynsong’s reaction came after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a reply in the assembly said the disputed Mukroh village falls under Assam’s jurisdiction.
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“Not Assam, Mukroh is very much a part of Meghalaya. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma‘s statement is unfortunate,” Tynsong said.
On November 22 last year, five villagers and a forest guard were killed in a clash between forest staff and locals at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills district along the Assam-Meghalaya interstate border.
In a written reply to a question by BJP MLA Bidya Sing Engleng, Sarma said Mukroh village is a part of the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
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“According to the information provided by the Superintendent of Police (Border) West Karbi Anglong district, the clash between Assam Police and forest pirates of Meghalaya was not related to the interstate border dispute between the two states,” Sarma said in a written reply.
Tynsong told reporters that the regional interstate boundary committees would be reinstated and talks between the two states are expected to resume soon.
Talks on the border dispute have suffered a setback since last November’s firing incident.
The BJP in its election manifesto before the February 27 Meghalaya polls promised to solve the border dispute with Assam and set up permanent outposts to promote safety, security, and rule of law.
With two MLAs, the BJP is a part of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government led by the National People’s Party (NPP), headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.