Former Home Minister RG Lyngdoh today said that the Meghalaya government has to be firm and learn how to effectively deal with crucial matters such as the border dispute with Assam.
He was speaking to Highland Post less than a week after serious clashes between Assam police and those of Meghalaya (at Iongkhuli, Ri-Bhoi) and Mizoram.
“They say that there will be this ‘give and take’, but, primarily, the give and take policy (on the disputed areas) has to be between equals,” Lyngdoh said. “There has to be equal footing, equal standing. Then we can talk about give and take. If one is stronger than the other and more vigilant, then the give and take cannot happen in the true spirit.”
On the Iongkhuli incident, the former Congress legislator said that it does not make sense that the Chief Minister talks one language and his officials another.
Small tribal states like Meghalaya have to remember that they are not playing sohtyngkoh but chess and they should move wisely and be farsighted and prepared always.
“We have to learn what’s happening around us and prepare ourselves accordingly. When Assam came (to Iongkhuli), it came prepared but we were not aware and were caught on the wrong foot, so we must learn and be prepared because if we don’t learn from the past then it is our fault,” he said.
