New Delhi: The Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland – Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad K. Sangma – today signed an agreement to settle the interstate boundary disputes between the two States in respect of 6 out of 12 areas of difference.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with senior officers from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Assam and Government of Meghalaya were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on this occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that today is a “historic day for a dispute-free North East”. He said that during the last three years, the Government had signed several agreements to end extremism and bring lasting peace to the North-Eastern states. He said the National Liberation Front of Tripura (Sabir Dev) (NLFT – SD) agreement was signed in August 2019 to bring the extremists into the mainstream of society in Tripura which contributed greatly to making Tripura a peaceful state. Then an agreement was signed on January 16, 2020, to solve the 23-year-old Bru-Reang refugee crisis. “Under this, more than 37,000 tribals who were leading a difficult life, are now living a life of dignity today,” he said.
Shah further claimed that the Bodo Accord signed on January 27, 2020, resolved the 50-year-old Bodo issue while maintaining the original form of Assam.
“The Assam Government and the Government of India have fulfilled 95 per cent of the terms of this agreement and today Bodoland is known as a peaceful region and is on the path of development,” he said.
The Karbi-Anglong Agreement was signed on September 4, 2021, to resolve the long-standing dispute in the Karbi regions of Assam. Under this, more than 1,000 armed cadres surrendered and joined the mainstream.
The Union Home Minister said that today another 50-year-old dispute was going to be resolved with this agreement. He said that in a very short span of time, six out of 12 issues have been settled between Assam and Meghalaya and about 70 per cent of the border between the two States has become dispute-free.
Stressing that the development of the Northeast was not possible unless disputes between States were resolved and armed groups did not surrender, he informed that from 2019 to 2022, more than 6,900 armed cadres had surrendered and more than 4,800 weapons had been handed over to the administration.
“This is a very big achievement,” he said, adding that with these efforts, the North East will not only become part of the national mainstream but will also become a driving force in national development. He said the Government of India and the Governments of the North East were moving forward in a time-bound manner to ensure a narcotics free, flood free and infiltrator free North East.
Shah further expressed confidence that with the “strong political will shown by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, we will make the North East dispute-free through discussions with all the States”.
– global bihari bureau
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