The Assam-Mizoram border tension turned critical on Friday after the Mizoram government announced that it is not withdrawing its forces.
The agitators in southern Assam refused to call off their blockade of National Highway 306, the lifeline of Mizoram, seeking withdrawal of security personnel from Assam’s area.
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Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana said his government would not withdraw its forces from the state border with Assam till normalcy returns.
Lalchamliana’s announcement came nine days after senior officials of the two neighbouring states held a series of meetings.
Assam government earlier had said that the Mizoram government have agreed to withdraw their forces gradually from Assam’s territory.
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The Mizoram home minister said his government accepted the demarcation notified in 1875 under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 as the actual boundary of Mizoram and Assam.
“It was a historical inter-state boundary decided long back and that had been accepted by the forefathers of Mizos,” the minister told reporters.
He claimed that some local residents of Lailapur (in Cachar district of southern Assam) “backed by Assam officials” blockaded National Highway 306 leading to Mizoram’s Bairabi village since Wednesday.
Lalchamliana said that the state government is taking steps to ensure that supply of essential commodities is not hampered. Mizoram transports all its essentials, food grains, transport fuel and various other goods and machines through this highway.