Mizoram, Assam looking to put border dispute to rest in upcoming NEC meet chaired by Shah

AIZAWL, MIZORAM: On Monday, an official quoted in a report by PTI informed that Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma is set to meet his counterpart from Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, this month to discuss outstanding border issues between the two neighbouring states. The discussion will reportedly be held during the North Eastern Council (NEC) plenary session that is scheduled for January 19 in Meghalaya's capital Shillong. This proposed session will be chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Mizoram shares a 164.6 km border with Assam and border disputes between the two states can be traced back to colonial-era demarcations in 1875 and 1933. While Mizoram lays claim to over 1,300 sq km of the inner line reserved forest under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873 (notified in 1875), Assam holds true to the constitutional boundary which was given by the Survey of India, 1933. 

There is no ground demarcation of these boundaries on the ground between the two states and the long-standing dispute took a violent turn in 2021. In July of that year, police forces from both states exchanged fire across the boundary, leading to the death of six policemen and a civilian from the Assam side.

Prior to that, in 2020, another violent clash was set off in a disputed area near Mizoram’s Vairengte village, leading to over 60 people being injured. Last week, Chief Minister Lalduhoma reportedly told news agencies that he had been in contact with Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent Delhi visit.   

“I have discussed the border dispute between Mizoram and Assam with the union home minister in Delhi. We want disputes and violence not to occur any more in the future. We also agreed to resolve the issues at a political level,” said the CM.