Many have thought, some have tried and all have failed to solve the recklessly-protracted Assam-Meghalaya boundary issue, for the last 49 years and a half.
Going by the toll of disasters since then and till now, only those who wear the worn-out shoes know where and how they suffer the pinches.
In the year 2010, four Khasi males were shot down in cold blood by Assam police at Langpih, a hilly village in West Khasi Hills within the vicinity of Nongstoin, where there is no Assamese settlement anywhere in and around the area.
But Assam, to grab the green hills it covets most, forcibly erected its police camp, brought and dumped stateless, people to make their permanent settlement, only to claim a foreign land they do not even know its proper name, calling and spelling ‘Lampi-Sampi’, a misnomer for Langpih.
The fresh incursions by Assam, using its big brother’s attitude by using police forces everywhere in the northeast and with everybody, including Nagaland, Mizoram and others, is a matter of concern, especially being together within the same country.
Jaintia Hills Chapter
During 1951 under undivided Assam, more than 350 villages under 15 Doloiship of Block I and II of Jaintia Hills, were tagged to Mikir and North Cachar Hills for administrative convenience and in course of time, conveniently the areas have been illegally claimed by Assam. In those areas, until now the Khasi-Jaintia people live and cultivate, though to a great extent, large tracts of cultivable land have been forcibly encroached upon by people of Assam.
Only recently there have been fresh spates of incursions by Assam in Khanduli, Sabah, Mukroh and other areas, with the intention of taking up health education and other developmental projects. Such a motivated agenda will aggravate the relationship.
New CM, Fresh Incursions
After recent change of leadership in Assam and with the new dynamic Chief Minister, Mr. Himanta Biswa Sarma at the helm of affairs, some new tidings have also come along, that Mr. Himanta intends to revive the dialogues afresh, with a target for a permanent solution of all the pending boundary disputes as also desired by the Centre. This initiative on his part should be welcomed by all those who share the same mind and vision, keeping at least the issues of political difference aside.
It will ease and expedite better and faster, if such dialogues comprise common desiderata and conducive parameters right from the start, keeping also in mind, to avoid the principles and factors of the gone-by dialogues which frustrated solution of the issue.
Chandrachud Committee
During the Congress regime in 1985, both the Congress ruled States of Assam and Meghalaya, led by Chief Minister Hiteshwar Saikia and Capt. W A Sangma respectively and with the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi then at the Centre, the official Boundary Committee to resolve the issue between two states was constituted, under the former Chief Justice Y V Chandrachud of the Supreme Court, assisted by former Chief Justice V S Deshpande of Delhi High Court.
After two years of study, examination of documents and hearing of parties, the Committee submitted its report in 1987, that Meghalaya and Assam “…are unable to find a solution to their difference on a political plane. We do not blame the Khasis for the intensity of their sentiments. Their sentiments are sincere too. But nor, can we blame Assam, for they asked for what the Constitution has given them…”
What can be inferred was that, Meghalaya based its case on the original boundary of Khasi States and those within the Doloiship of the District Councils, whereas Assam stood on areas determined by the Constitution.
Thereafter, no serious follow up of the issue was resumed; resulting in what all can see and witness today, a solution is remote. Yet, there is no harm to pin new hopes in the new Assam BJP dispensation.
In the event of resumption of a dialogue on this long run- vexed issue, it is advisable to get the concerned Autonomous District Councils along, for logistics and any other cooperation.
