Itanagar, Feb 20 (UNI): Coming April, the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will engage in a “serious dialogue” process to solve the long-drawn-out boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states.
With the inter-state boundary row currently pending with the country’s apex court, both the NE states being ruled by the BJP are trying to settle the boundary matter out of the court.
“From April onwards, we will get engaged in serious dialogue and every year, maximum Assam-Arunachal border disputes will be solved,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said while gracing the Golden Jubilee celebration of Arunachal Pradesh and 36th Statehood Day function at Yupia, about 21 km from the state capital Itanagar on Sunday as the chief guest.
In his address, Sarma said, “I want to assure the people of Arunachal Pradesh that the Assam government will be ever ready to do whatever is needed to maintain the age-old relationship between the two neighbouring states.”
While mentioning that “recently, Assam government has settled boundary dispute with its Meghalaya counterpart by amicably sitting across the table”, Sarma said, “In the same line, I am meeting with Arunachal CM Pema Khandu continuously. I want to assure you all that from April onwards, we will get engaged in serious dialogue and every year, maximum Assam-Arunachal border disputes will be solved, and for this, we will try our best.”
Khandu took to Twitter to say, “…We will sincerely work towards a permanent solution on this long pending issue.”
Meanwhile, welcoming Kiren Rijiju’s induction as Cabinet minister for the first time from Arunachal Pradesh, Sarma said, this is not a matter of pride for Arunachal alone but the entire North East India.
