SHILLONG:
The government can’t wait to take up the second phase of the border talks with neighbouring Assam to resolve the next six areas of dispute, said deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, even as he slammed the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma for making “irresponsible” statements on the issue.
“We want to take up the second phase of border talks immediately,” said Tynsong, talking to the press, on April 18.
Informing that a number of traditional heads from Block I & II, Psiar and Khanduli, among others, had recently met him to discuss the issue, Tynsong said, “(They have) requested the government to start the joint inspection in these remaining areas of difference as they want to be clear things up at the earliest.”
He, however, reiterated that the decision to start the process remains with the chief ministers. “Whenever they say yes let us start taking up the second phase then we will start,” he said.
Earlier on April 6, during the Passing Out Parade of North Eastern Police Academy in Ri Bhoi, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, had informed that the second phase of border talks will take place in the June-July.
Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister also asked the leader of opposition (LO) not to politicise the border issue, saying, by doing so, he is playing with the life of the next generation.
Asking the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) legislator to be more “responsible” while commenting on the now-signed border agreement with neighbouring Assam, Tynsong said, “The LO should not create confusion among the citizens of the state. The former chief minister should appreciate the MoU that we have signed. He shouldn’t try to play political games on this issue, which a matter of life and death for the next generation.”
Tynsong was reacting to the allegation made by Mukul Sangma that the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has become a “victim of manipulation” by signing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Assam.
Countering Mukul’s allegations that the government only invited civil societies, NGOs, and other stakeholders post the signing of the agreement, Tynsong said that it was the former chief minister who had not taken a collective decision on the matter before sending details to Assam during his reign as the chief minister in 2011.
“He (Mukul) prepared all the details and sent them to Assam. Though I was part of the government then, he never shared any details about the areas of difference,” he said, the MDA government didn’t add any new areas of dispute to the list of 12 that was sent by the former chief minister and stuck to the same.
He also accused Mukul of not doing anything about the graveyard in Maikhuli village in Ri Bhoi, which, of late, has seen series of protest against the MoU.
Asking other political parties also not to politicise the border and Them Iew Mawlong issues, Tynsong said, “The MDA government is not doing any politics on these issues. Do not say that we are taking a hasty decision as for the past 50 years nobody has dared to resolve it.”