Irked by the “bullying attitude” by Assam during the ongoing boundary inspections with Meghalaya, the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) today said ministers and officials of Meghalaya who are part of such inspections should also show their spine.
“It is unfortunate to see that during the recent boundary inspections in West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi the Assam ministers and officials are trying to bully us and showing their big brotherly attitude. This is condemnable and we would also urge the ministers, MLAs, officials and traditional heads of our State to assert their authority and not to behave as mere followers of Assam,” the HYC said.
Stating that the solution of the boundary dispute with Assam should be based on documentation, the HYC also said that Nepali settlers should not be taken into account during the ongoing process to settle the boundary dispute between the two states.
“Migrants from another country should not be made part of the boundary settlement since they are only settlers who have no right over our ancestral land. If those settlers don’t want to be under Meghalaya they are free to leave. Khasi traditional heads should not allow settlers to decide the fate of our borders and Assam too should not listen to settlers as far as settlement of the boundary is concerned,” the HYC added.
Stating that mere raising of hands is not the acceptable way of settling the boundary issue, the HYC said, “Raising of hands by settlers to bring Meghalaya land under Assam is totally unacceptable. The issue has to be resolved as per historical records, Sixth Schedule and the spirit of Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement.”
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has come under strong public criticism for allowing Assam minister Pijush Hazarika to bully a local villager from Hima Nongspung during a boundary meeting held in a border village in Ri-Bhoi yesterday.
A video of the meeting showed the villager repeatedly telling Hazarika that the area falls under Hima Nongspung.
However, Hazarika contested and immediately the microphone was snatched away from the villager by an official from Assam.
Tynsong, cabinet minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare and other MLAs from Meghalaya just watched the entire episode and did not intervene.
