HT Bureau
SHILLONG, June 14: Assam cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika on Wednesday said miscreants causing disturbance along the inter-state border do not belong to his state.
“Miscreants don’t belong to us. It is as simple as that,” Hazarika told reporters after jointly chairing a border meeting with Meghalaya deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar in Shillong here.
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Hazarika is heading the regional committee for West Karbi Anglong District and Dhar is heading the regional committee for West Jaintia Hills District for examining the areas of difference – Block I and Khanduli-Psiar.
His statement came in the wake of the recent clash incidents between the Karbi and Pnar people at Khanduli area in West Jaintia Hills District.
Stating that there is a very good relationship between the people of both the states, Hazarika said, “We are very friendly and we don’t have problems with Meghalaya people. We have a very good relationship with Meghalaya and we have high regards for the people of Meghalaya as well as people of other North Eastern parts of the country.”
Asserting the need to resolve the long pending boundary dispute between Meghalaya and Assam, the minister said, “We have a long pending border dispute but I am sure we will be able to settle amicably in a very short period of time.”
When asked, Hazarika said, “Miscreant is miscreant. How will you identify sitting here miscreants but Assam people have love for the people of Meghalaya and I believe that Meghalaya people also have love for the people of Assam.”
Meanwhile, the minister also expressed concern over the recent clash at Khanduli.
“I am very upset about that (clash between Karbi and Pnar people). We should not have clashes but we should have a peaceful relationship with people of Meghalaya. People from both Meghalaya and our part should have cordial peaceful relationships and our government and chief minister also desires that only,” he stated.
Meanwhile, in a major development, the Meghalaya and Assam governments’ regional committee convened its inaugural meeting to discuss the pending border issue in West Jaintia Hills District with West Karbi Anglong District, Hamren, Assam at Psiar-Khanduli.
The inaugural meeting was chaired by Sniawbhalang Dhar, the minister in charge of Urban Affairs from Meghalaya, and Pijush Hazarika, the minister in charge of Information and Public Relations from Assam.
The regional committee decided to submit a report to their respective state governments by August this year. To facilitate this, an on-ground visit is scheduled to take place in the last week of June or July, in the presence of both chief ministers.
