The Assam-Meghalaya border dispute has been a significant political plank for the events contesting in the February 27 Meghalaya meeting polls, extra so, in terms of placing an emotional chord with the natives of the land and their rights.
News18 walked all the way down to areas close to Mukroh, the epicentre of the border conflict which claimed six lives in the Assam police firing final November, and the flashpoint between folks on either side and the respective governments too.
The weary roads resulting in Mukhroh distinctively don the seems of underdevelopment and alienation. There had been a number of folks on the roads in this border hamlet and few flags of AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) fluttering. There are not any elections in Assam nonetheless the flags in the state villages alongside the Assam-Meghalaya border of Karbi Anglong virtually rise the political temperature in early spring.
As we moved inside Mukroh into Meghalaya in the West Jaintia Hills of the state, the election temper was lacking, although there have been flags of political events and nook assembly being held often. People, too, had been reluctant to talk, and, if somebody did, it was in their very own dialect, virtually Greek.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee had visited these villages proper after the firing incident the place 5 folks from the realm died. All festivals and ceremonies in the state had been cancelled until the top of December as mark of respect for the deceased. TMC declared an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh and vouched to face by the grieved and their concern, which obtained mirrored in their election manifesto. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who misplaced one among his policemen in the firing, was fast to reply and instituted an inquiry and introduced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the deceased.
Mukroh village is positioned in Laskein subdivision of Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya. It is located 40km away from sub-district headquarter Laskein (tehsildar workplace) and 66km away from district headquarter Jowai. Mukroh has a complete inhabitants of 1,977 peoples, out of which males are 1,000 whereas females are 977. The village’s literacy fee is 40.52%, out of which, 37% are males and 44.11% females are literate. There are about 380 homes in Mukroh village.
But the Assam authorities’s data present that Mukroh village is positioned in Donka Taluka of Karbi Anglong in Assam. The complete geographical space of Mukroh village is 53 hectares, with the closest police station positioned in Donka Tehsil. The villages adjoining Mukroh are Rongpangbong, Nongtirong, Wanpung, Rongkhelan, Sametan, Umkhirmi, Psiar, and Khatkhasala.
At a large public assembly in Resubelpar not too long ago, Trinamool Congress Legislature Party Leader and Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma, assured the folks that he would struggle for the land snatched from them.
“We know this government viciously snatched the land, but I promise, I will give it back to the people after we form the government,” talked about Dr Sangma.
The BJP manifesto for the Meghalaya meeting elections promised to finish the border conflicts with Assam by way of dialogue, saying it isn’t a struggle between India and Pakistan however a dispute between two neighbouring states. “We promise to make Meghalaya a mega Meghalaya based on the motto of speed, scale and skill,” the manifesto learn.
Block 1 as the realm is commonly referred to in the official data as one among six remaining dispute sectors alongside the Assam-Meghalaya border for which each the governments are but to come back to an settlement. The two states have recognized 12 dispute areas alongside the interstate border. The first spherical of discussions on the border disputes was held in July 2021 and each states signed an MoU in March 2022 to resolve variations in six areas. Mukroh village is in the disputed Block 1 space alongside the interstate boundary. The remaining six disputed border areas between the 2 north-eastern states are in Block I in West Jaintia Hills district, Block 2 in Ri-Bhoi and Langpih in West Khasi Hills.
While coming back from Mukroh, the election fever in the Assam portion of the border dominated by Khasi (dominant Meghalaya tribe) folks was fairly palpable. There had been flags of all events and sufficient evidences of election associated nook conferences being held regularly.
“The Khasi people residing in Karbi Anglong border have voter ID of Meghalaya and that of Assam too. They don’t vote in Karbi Anglong elections but actively take part in elections of Meghalaya. Campaigning and election meeting are on full swing in Assam soil for the coming Meghalaya polls,” Sarthe Fangsu, social employee from Rongseng village of Karbi Anglong alongside the interstate border, advised News18.
“Nothing has changed much since November 22. Political parties contesting the Meghalaya assembly elections have been intensely campaigning in Mujem, Psiar, Kathkasla, Dingler, Modan and Mukroh villages in Karbi Anglong soil. We now doubt that the give and take policy between both the governments for the second round of settlement talks has actually been implemented, or why else campaign on the Assam soil. I went to Sansneng last Saturday, I saw endless election meetings by BJP, NPP, TMC and UDP too. NPP held a huge meeting in Mulaber village football field. In another area, the Congress, too, was holding their meeting. I have a photograph of these meetings,” stated Fangsu.
The locals even complained that individuals dwelling in these Khasi villages on the Assam territory want to take befits of presidency schemes from Meghalaya together with electrical energy reasonably than these offered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
The Meghalaya State Election Department in 2021 had issued notices to folks with twin voter playing cards. On August 6, 2021, the workplace of the West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner issued an order stating that “individuals allegedly possess dual voter cards in the states of Meghalaya and Assam, the booth-level officers are hereby ordered for an inquiry and undertaking field verification of all such existing dual enrolment cases and to take necessary action…” Meghalaya conducted a hearing of such voters in six different places – Wreang, Malongkona, Malapara, Athiabari, Lejadubi and Kyrshai.
“There are police outpost in Mokoilung and Jirikiding, still political parties are campaigning in Assam soil. Are we in an understanding while we say that we shall not part an inch of our land? Is there a conspiracy to make these people vote for Meghalaya? This is a political invasion in the name of elections. Why is the Assam government a mute spectator to this political invasion? The political parties have come much beyond the Mokoilung outpost and reached the hinterland. This is sad that the Khasi community people living in these area now are geared to exercise their franchise in Meghalaya elections,” stated Rensing Bey, ex-executive member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
The Meghalaya cabinet after the tragic incident had given nod to setting of seven border police outposts including two in Mukroh and Jirikiding. Both the governments also decided to maintain status quo in the disputed area till the second phase of settlement is complete.
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