Assam-Mizoram Dispute: Ripun Bora writes to Amit Shah; urges him to call all-party meeting

Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Assam Ripun Bora on Wednesday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding an all-party meeting along with the stakeholders to resolve the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram. In the letter addressed to Amit Shah, Ripun Bora, who is the former Assam Congress chief said that the border dispute between the two states has arrived at a "volatile" stage. 

Assam-Mizoram Border Dispute: Ripun Bora writes to Amit Shah

Bora in the letter further stated that if the tension between Assam and Mizoram is not removed immediately with a "positive political response", the situation in both states may go from bad to worst with its adverse impact in other north-eastern states. "As you know 6 Assam police personnel have lost their lives and more than 50 injured in Mizo Police firing and both the forces of Assam and Mizoram are still in retaliating mood in the border," the Assam Congress MP added. 

Remarking that the news of the firings and killing of police jawans have spread all over the north-eastern states of the country, Ripun Bora further said, "We can apprehend further mob violence due to the tense situation prevailing in the two states." He also urged the Union Home Minister to urgently call a meeting of both the CMs of the two states and all the political parties of the north-eastern states including national, regional, and local political parties with other stakeholders in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that a permanent solution can be availed. 

The Assam Congress MP said, "It is a high time to avoid vested political interests for the greater public interests of the people. I  sincerely hope you will do the needful to protect the peace and harmony of the two states in particular and NE Region in general," the Rajya Sabha MP stated in a letter to the Union Home Minister."

6 Assam policemen killed in border violence 

On July 26, five policemen, including the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of Cachar Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chandrakant Nimbalkar, and a civilian were killed during the violent clashes. 

Over 50 police officers from Assam were critically injured and were treated in Silchar Hospital. On July 27, the Cachar Superintendent of Police Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant was taken to Mumbai by an Indian Air Force air ambulance,  along with three others who were airlifted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

Responding to the situation the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced financial assistance of Rs 50 lakhs each to families of the police personnel who were martyred in the clash. On the other hand, it has also been decided to provide a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the injured policemen and civilians. Also, an additional one-month salary will be given to all policemen deployed along the Mizoram border.

Assam-Mizoram border dispute

The violent clash broke out between forces of both Assam and Mizoram on the night of July 26. The dispute over the 165 km-long Assam-Mizoram boundary dates back to the days of British colonial rule. Essentially, Mizoram has deep reservations about a 1933 notification that demarcated the boundary between Lushai Hills and the then princely state of Manipur. While the Assam government follows this, Mizoram has demanded that the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification which was done in consultation with the Mizo chiefs.

(Image: PTI, ANI)