Mizoram’s most influential students’ body, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), has begun collecting donations from the public to compensate for the losses that the students’ body suffered from clashes with Assam Police during the border dispute at Zophai near Bairabi town of Kolasib district along the Assam-Mizoram border in March.
The students’ body began collecting donations from Wednesday in all parts across the State.
In Aizawl it will collect for four days in different localities.
MZP general secretary Lalnunmawia Pautu said all residents of Assam and non-indigenous companies, suppliers and private contractors, among others were asked to come to MZP office on Saturday to pay donation.
The MZP leadership said they were left with no other options but to collect donation after the Centre, Assam and Mizoram government refused to compensate them.
They were of the view that property and personal belongings of student volunteers worth more than Rs 21.7 lakh were destroyed by Assam Police during the face-off.
The MZP leaders also alleged that Assam Police personnel torched their makeshift camps, damaged properties and vehicles and also stole cell phones belonging to the students.
According to the MZP leadership, they had written for compensation to the Assam Government, President of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, but to no avail.
The leaders of the students’ body also said that even the Mizoram Government had rejected their request to pay the medical bills of the student who was shot at by Assam Police and other volunteers who suffered injuries during the confrontation at Zophai.