Only two days after Union home minister Amit Shah met with all of the northeast's Chief Ministers in Shillong, fresh violence erupted today at the disputed Assam-Mizoram border.
Reportedly, shots have been fired between the border area of Assam's Cachar district and Mizoram's Colasib district along with allegations of attacks on government vehicles. Following allegations of violence, the chief ministers of Assam and Mizoram hurled accusations on Twitter and asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene.
Chief Minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga urged Mr. Shah's involvement, tweeting a video of the violence in which individuals armed with sticks can be seen, saying it "has to be stopped right now."
In another tweet, he wrote “Innocent couple on their way back to Mizoram via Cachar manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons. How are you going to justify these violent acts?"
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on the other hand, tweeted, “Honble @ZoramthangaCM Ji, Kolasib (Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won't listen nor stop the violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest.”
Zoramthanga, in response to Sarma, tweeted, “Dear Himantaji, after cordial meeting of CMs by Hon’ble Shri @amitshah ji, surprisingly 2 companies of Assam Police with civilians lathi charged & tear gassed civilians at Vairengte Auto Rickshaw stand inside Mizoram today. They even overrun CRPF personnel /Mizoram Police."
Sarma also met with Mizoram's chief minister, reiterating that Assam will maintain the status quo and ensure peace across the two states' borders. He tweeted, "I've stated my willingness to visit Aizawl and resolve these issues if needed."
According to the sources, Mr. Shah has called both Chief Ministers and directed them to resolve the border dispute resulting in agreement from both sides. Presently, both states' police units have returned from the disputed location.
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Amit Shah's meeting with northeast's CMs
The inter-state border troubles issues were discussed when the Union Home Minister met the Chief Ministers of eight northeastern states in Shillong on July 24. The first Chief Minister-level meeting to resolve the border troubles between Assam and Meghalaya was held a day before in Shillong and both sides decided to solve disputes in 12 bordering locations in a phased manner.
According to Assam Police, since October last year, several inter-state border skirmishes have taken place along the 164.6 km border in which one man was killed, and over 50 people injured, besides large scale damage caused to properties, including government-run schools, shops and houses along the border.
The Assam Chief Minister, during the ongoing Assembly session, said that 1,777 hectares of land in the three districts bordering Mizoram have been encroached by Mizos. Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo rebutted the claim, saying that the lands referring by the Assam Chief Minister had been with residents of Mizoram's border villages for over 100 years, and hence, there is no question of encroachment.
Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana had said earlier that the crops of Mizo farmers had been destroyed at Buarchep (in Kolasib) by the Assam Police earlier this month and demanded adequate compensation by the Assam government.
Since, June 29 of this year, the troubles along the borders of the two northeastern states have resumed after the two states accused each other of encroachment at Aitlang hnar near Vairengte, which borders Assam's Hailakandi district.
Tension further shot up when Assam officials reportedly destroyed some plantations at Buarchep in the Phainuam area bordering Cachar district on July 10 during eviction, even as Assam officials claimed that the people of Mizoram encroached more than six km into its territory.
Assam shares borders with six other northeastern states and has boundary disputes with four - Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya besides Mizoram. These and the disputes between the other states have led to violence, and unlawful activities, leading to deployment of Central para-military forces.