The MDA government today found itself cornered by the united opposition on the issue of boundary agreement signed last year with Assam. The opposition also demanded immediate review of the agreement.
Moving a special motion in the Assembly, Congress MLA from Mawhati Charles Marngar said that the government did not fully consider the recommendation made by the previous regional committee for Ri-Bhoi.
He also said that due to the MOU signed with Assam, several villages in Khanapara and Pilangkata sector including the ASTC camp and Dreamland Resort which were under Meghalaya have now gone to Assam.
“No prior consultations were held with traditional institutions of the State before entering into the MOU with Assam,” Marngar said.
Recalling that the Meghalaya government in 2011 had claimed over 2.29 sq km of land within Khanapara and Pilangkata sector, Marngar said that the State is now left with only 0.55 sq km and lost around 1.74 sq km just because of the MOU.
He also said that even in West Khasi Hills, several villages were included in Assam while in East Jaintia Hills, out of 11.20 sq km, Meghalaya got only 6.42 sq km and the State lost around 4.78 sq km in the Ratacherra sector besides fully losing Malidor river to Assam.
Marngar accused the MDA government of violating Para 20 of the Sixth Schedule of as well the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1969 and North East Reorganisation Act, 1971.
VPP MLA Ardent M. Basaiawmoit said that the MDA government had claimed credit for being the only government to resolve the boundary dispute.
“The MDA government has no right to make such a claim. The previous governments were more transparent and careful while dealing with the issue,” Basaiawmoit said.
He said that under this MOU, Meghalaya has given around 18.19 sq km to Assam while only 18.6 sq km of land came to Meghalaya.
“In this situation where do we stand to gain and how can we allow the government to give away more than 18 sq km to Assam,” Basaiawmoit said.
Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem urged the government to be careful during the second phase of border talks. He said that there is discontentment among people about the outcome of the first phase of border talks in few sectors.
Syiem also said that the new government should try to regain back all villages in Block 2 area. He also said that the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong has already written to the government about the desire of 22 villages to be under Meghalaya.
In his reply, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the negotiations with Assam were on the basis of documents and claims submitted by the State government in a report submitted in 2011.
Citing an example, he said that when the regional committee conducted a public hearing in West Khasi Hills, around 21-22 villages were shown to be part of Meghalaya in the report but then people from 36 villages came and said they want to be in Meghalaya but the name of 13-14 villages were not there in the report.
Sangma also said that some villages in Malang Salbari and Tarabari sector were claimed by the Meghalaya government in the 2011 report but these locations were shown as falling under in the map.
He also said that there were instances when few villages were mentioned in the report but during public hearings, many villages came out saying that they want to be under Meghalaya.
The chief minister also said that the earlier MoU signed with the Assam government was in keeping with the larger interest of the people, adding that of the 36 disputed villages, Meghalaya has established rights over 31 villages.
Stating that the inter-state boundary issue was a politically and socially sensitive one, Sangma reiterated that there would never be a ‘perfect solution’ but endeavour has to be made for the best possible solution.
