Shillong, March 8 : The Opposition on Tuesday found defects in the border agreement with Assam.
Taking up a special motion in the Assembly, AITC legislator George Lyngdoh pointed out that Meghalaya is losing its gateway since the state government has agreed to give away land in Khanapara to Assam.
Lyngdoh demanded the state government to withdraw its consent to give the 66 acres.
“I am not happy with the settlement. We have lost the state’s gateway considering the settlement which has already been signed,” he said.
“If possible I still urge the state government to correct this and withdraw its consent to give 66 acres of land… as it is like giving away the state’s gateway and economic property that has brought huge benefit to the state in terms of revenue,” Lyngdoh said.
The state should not give up on the claims made in 2011 and should not be forced into a settlement, he added.
“There is still lack of clarity on areas, especially on the names of villages , location and the space . While some land will come to Meghalaya, some will go to Assam.. In this regard ,more information needed. Since there was no clarity on the part of the state government , we had to obtain the presentation made by Assam government on January 18”, he said.
The Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma, said the government did a ritual job as it had already decided on the agreement without proper discussion.
He said the government should have attempted to resolve all the 12 areas of difference as decision on six areas will affect others.
According to Mukul, if ethnicity and will of the people are the criteria to decide on first six areas of difference, the same criteria will be advantageous for Assam in Block I and II or Langpih as over a period of time, Assam may engage in having new settlement and it can also change the demography thereby reducing Khasi-Pnar people into a minority.
On giving away areas under Khanapara, Mukul said he does not find any reason why areas under the administrative control should go to Assam . Give and take can apply only for difficult areas, he said.
Later speaking to reporters, Mukul said if the land owners and traditional heads have the right to decide, he was surprised to hear that a traditonal head was not allowed to speak during the meeting of one of the regional committees.
HM Shangpliang (AITC) said the House was not taken into confidence while deciding on the matter.
“We were kept in the dark. CM and cabinet had done the job. Give us some more time. Please hold on. Let us have discussion. I have a word of caution considering there are traditional heads , I am afraid that we may be swamped by people from the border areas. Our people will be reduced to minority and will be driven out”, he added.
PT Sawkmie, Ampareen praise govt
Congress legislators PT Sawkmie and Ampareen Lyngdoh appreciated the government for trying to resolve the border issue.
Sawkmie said the government has to move on with the agreement arrived at by both the states.
Ampareen wanted the MoU to get the nod of the Centre at the earliest.
Quoting Kimfa Marbaniang, Ampareen said people in his area are waiting to celebrate.
She appealed to the members of the Opposition to support the government in this regard.S
However, Shangpliang expressed anguish over the manner in which Sawkmie praised the government as just six months back, the same member had raised border issue against the government, “but today , I am anguished .He ridiculed the efforts of the previous government”, Shangpliang said..
The member also ridiculed late leaders,including HS Lyngdoh. The process of settlement started in 2011 under the chief ministership of Mukul Sangma, Shangpliang pointed out.
