Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “We are firm on our stand to protect the territorial integrity of Assam at any cost. At the same time, we will ensure safety of all civilians, either of Assam or from Mizoram.
TFM Desk
As violence erupted on the Assam-Mizoram border Monday claiming lives of six Assam Police personnel, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday spoke to both the chief ministers over phone and urged them to maintain peace and protect the people.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “We are firm on our stand to protect the territorial integrity of Assam at any cost. At the same time, we will ensure the safety of all civilians, either of Assam or from Mizoram.”
The chief minister announced ₹50 lakh compensation ex to kin of policemen killed, to give government job to one family member, to pay ₹1 lakh to the injured & additional one-month salary to policemen deployed along Mizoram border.
“We will also deploy 4,000 commandos and move Supreme Court protect reserved forests along the border,” he added.
The chief minister said that union home secretary Alok Bhalla would meet the Chief Secretaries of both states.
Referring to Monday’s violence, Sarma urged his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga to probe how a section of the civilians are carrying and using sophisticated arms.
“If the civilians of Mizoram carry sophisticated arms and ammunition, it would not only be very harmful for Assam but would be dangerous for Mizoram as well.”
The report said the chief minister also assured that his government would provide security to the Mizo people, traders and students in Assam.
“We would not encroach an inch of land of Mizoram and we would die but would not allow them to take over an inch of our territory as well,” the emotional Chief Minister told the media after holding a series of meetings with officials.
Sarma said that the Union Home Minister, during his meeting with all the eight Chief Ministers of the northeastern states on Saturday in Shillong, had announced that the inter-state border disputes would be resolved before India celebrates 75 years of Independence next year.
Citing satellite imagery, he said that it is evident from many documents and evidence that reserve forest lands of Assam are occupied by Mizo people, who destroy the forest resources.
“It might be that some people in Mizoram are annoyed after the Assam government curtailed the drugs trading chain from Myanmar to other parts of India via Mizoram and Assam,” he claimed.
On the other hand, Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana said that around armed 200 Assam Police personnel, led by an IGP, and accompanied by Cachar Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, and Divisional Forest Officer, on Monday came to the Vairengte auto-rickshaw stand, forcibly crossed the post manned by CRPF personnel, and overran a duty post manned by the Mizoram Police personnel.
He also claimed the Assam Police also damaged several vehicles travelling along the National Highway between Vairengte and Lailapur.
“The confrontation continued and a volley of tear gas canisters and grenades were launched at Mizoram Police followed by firing from the Assam side.
“Mizoram Police responded spontaneously by firing back at Assam Police in spite of the fact that SP, Kolasib District was still inside CRPF duty camp negotiating with the Assam Police authorities,” Lalchamliana said in a statement.
The Mizoram Government “strongly condemns the unjustified act of the Government of Assam in this intrusion and aggression into the territory of Mizoram”, it said.