New Delhi: The Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh signed a “historic” agreement to settle their long-pending dispute over their 700-kilometre-long border in the presence of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, here today.
Noting that the border dispute between the two states was long pending and that the report of the Local Commission on this dispute kept circling around for decades, Shah claimed that now it has been “completely resolved”. He said today’s agreement will prove to be a milestone in the direction of a developed, peaceful and conflict-free Northeast.
Shah appreciated the efforts of the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, in resolving this long pending border dispute. He said that both the states formed a regional committee to settle the dispute, talked to the common people and worked to include everyone in this effort.
Today’s agreement between the two states, the Union Home Ministry stated, will end the dispute relating to 123 villages along the border that has been done keeping in view the historical perspective, demographic profile, administrative convenience, proximity to the border and the aspirations of the residents. Under the agreement, both the state governments have agreed that this agreement will be final with regard to these 123 disputed villages and neither of the States will make any new claim related to any area or village in future. After the agreement, a detailed survey will be carried out by the Survey of India in the presence of representatives of both state governments to determine the boundaries of both states.
Shah said today’s agreement between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was a successful example of cooperative federalism and would provide a roadmap for resolving border disputes between other states.
The Home Minister further recalled that since 2018, the Union Government signed several accords including Bru, NLFT, Karbi Anglong, and tribal peace accord to establish peace and end violence in the Northeast. He said that as a result of these agreements, peace has started prevailing in the entire North East and so far more than 8000 armed youth have shunned violence and joined the mainstream. Moreover, compared to 2014, there has been a 67 per cent reduction in incidents of violence, a 60 per cent reduction in the number of deaths of security forces and an 83 per cent reduction in the number of civilian deaths in the North East.
Shah also referred to the Centre’s decision to withdraw AFSPA from many places in the Northeast. 70% of police stations in Assam, 15 police stations in 6 districts in Manipur, all but 3 districts in Arunachal Pradesh, 7 districts in Nagaland, and the entire Tripura and Meghalaya are now free from AFSPA.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Home Secretary and senior officials from the Center and both States were also present on the occasion.
– global bihari bureau
