SHILLONG:
Rambrai-Jyrngam MDC, Bajop Pyngrope on Wednesday said that the Garo villagers who were chased out of Upper Tarabari village had tried to influence others who wanted to be with Meghalaya.
The MDC said that the 20 per cent who are Gaon Burhas (village heads) and receive honorarium from the Assam government tried to influence the other 80 per cent to go back to Assam.
He said that the current tension is not flared up because of the two state governments but because of the differences among the villagers.
“The entire Tarabari sector was never part of Meghalaya; they never voted in any elections. They were with Assam,” the MDC said.
He said that 80 per cent of the villagers, mostly Garos, have voiced their opinion that they want to come to Meghalaya.
The MoU on border states that the entire 4.69 sq.km of the Tarabari sector will be with Meghalaya.