- It is quite a common phenomenon in the country to witness inter-state border disputes stretching on for decades without any semblance of arriving at mutually agreeable accords to settle the matter. Especially, in the Northeastern region of the country, there are several vexatious issues on this front with no signs of finding an amicable solution. Of course, people in the know would also agree that the Northeastern part of the country felt generally neglected until the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government initiated the look east policy with great intent and verve. People in the region are seeing welcome changes after all these years.
PC: A
- Undoubtedly, due credit should go to the BJP for forming governments by forging alliances with the regional outfits and pursuing diligently to address the long-neglected issues bogging the region. No wonder, people in the region representing diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds are slowly easing into the mainstream thereby rendering much-needed heft for the NDA to further pursue intended objectives. The positive outcome of such an initiative is always heartening. One such welcome result is the recently signed accord between Assam and Meghalaya that resolves their interstate boundary dispute for six out of the twelve areas of difference.
- Recall that Assam has such boundary disputes with most of its neighboring states that have carved out of undivided Assam. As is its wont, these disputes have often boiled over into serious clashes. This was exemplified by deadly skirmishes between Assam and Mizoram police forces in July last year that left six Assamese policemen dead. Keeping these disputes festering has neither been in national nor regional interest. However, solving them has been tricky given that the diverse ethnic population of the region steadfastly holds on to their traditional cultural boundaries as opposed to constitutionally defined boundaries.
PC: Kaushik Deka
- Mind you, the former date back to colonial times, whereas the states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh were carved out of Assam only in the 1960s and 70s. In fact, people residing along the Assam-Meghalaya border have long held two voter IDs corresponding to the two states. Delving further will reveal that Assam and Meghalaya formed three committees each last year to look into their border dispute and asked locals to choose one of either state. Now, with that process completed, the Survey of India will demarcate the boundary as per the agreement giving more push to the pact to reach a logical conclusion.
- Make no mistake, this particular accord should become a template for resolving other border disputes pestering for too long in the Northeast. Even though the Assam-Meghalaya case was a little different as state governments made claims, locals lived side by side. In contrast, the Assam-Mizoram and Assam-Nagaland disputes are bogged with allegations of encroachment into reserved forest areas of Assam making finding any resolution difficult. Nonetheless, all states in the region must make concerted efforts to resolve interstate border disputes amicably. This will also help prevent an adversarial China from fishing in troubled waters.
