Assam is unlikely to restart border talks ahead of 2026 polls

Editor,

Last month, Ka Sur u Paidbah ka Bri u Hynniewtrep attracted many people from Khasi and Jaintia Hills. The crowd was impressive, and the cause for which they assembled was bold. The assembly aimed to regain the fertile tracts of land that Meghalaya lost to the high-handedness of the Assam government over the decades.

Those leading the rally pointed out that Meghalaya lost swathes of the border land under Block-I, Block-II, Khanduli, Psiar, Nongwah-Mawtamur, Langpih and Borduar, as well as in six other sectors, following an MoU signed with Assam on March 29, 2022, in New Delhi. They said the MoU had flaws.

A decision to move the Supreme Court was taken unanimously. The traditional leaders were confident that a court order would be in their favour because they had documentary proof and maps of the areas claimed by Assam. They expressed serious doubts about the present Meghalaya dispensation resolving the issue.

Ka Bri u Hynniewtrep, which includes the traditional institutions like the Himas, the Doloiships, Elakas, the Border inhabitants and the stakeholders of Khasis and Pnars, would resist if the settlement (MoU) was not right.

Now, in this context, we must understand that another MoU (settlement) in the near future will not take place because Assam is going to the polls shortly (2026), and it will not care to talk about border settlement with Meghalaya. Meghalaya has no alternative but to wait.

The other possibility is whether Assam is interested in engaging in border talks with its counterpart, especially if a different government comes to power in that state. Again, on this issue, as it is political, what will be the political equations in Meghalaya in the near future to push this issue forward to get what our state wants?

As for the future, there seems to be not much change in the political dynamics until perhaps in 2028. Even if one ventures the hazardous guess, leadership may still come from the Western Sector of the state for obvious reasons, as shown in the past and present.

Coming back to the border solution between the two states, it is in the interest of Meghalaya that border talks should resume as soon as possible. If the state government dithers, Assam will gain because it can have opportunities to openly or surreptitiously use force to expand its territory, as it has been doing all along for many years.

So, it is loud and clear what Meghalaya should do, irrespective of which part of our state the leader (the chief minister) comes. If the same CM comes back, so be it, and perhaps it is better as he already has the experience to continue the border talks.

However, let us hope against hope that he completes what is left of the long-pending anguish of the people of the state, namely, the border final settlement with Assam.

Yours etc.,

Philip Marwein,

Senior journalist