HT Bureau
SHILLONG, OCT 16: The Karbi Students Union (KSU) has served a three-month ultimatum to the Assam government to resolve the inter-state boundary dispute with Meghalaya or to grant a separate state for Karbi people.
The demand came days after a clash broke out between Karbi and Pnar villagers at Lapangap village in West Jaintia Hills district resulting in the death of a Karbi youth Oriwel Timung.
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“The incident reflects the absolute failure of the Assam government to secure the territorial integrity of West Karbi Anglong also proven once again that Assam government is not serious to secure the inter state boundary in particular to Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong district,” KSU president Tokbi Sarim Tokbi said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He said that despite the 2022 MoU between Assam and Meghalaya governments, such incidents are sporadically taking place in Tapat and Dhansiri area.
“We put our ultimatum before the government of Assam through this medium to resolve the inter-state boundary issue within 3 months or grant us a separate state so that the People of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong can take up in their own hand to defend its territory as government of Assam is not concern and apathetic with the lives and land of Karbis and other Indigenous community residing in the twin district of KAAC region,” Tokbi added.
The KSU has also laid down conditions before the government of Assam to respond in safeguarding the interest of Karbi and other Indigenous communities of KAAC region by transferring the subject of Law & Order (Border Management) to the Karbi Anglong robust border management and securing territorial integrity.
It also asked the Assam government to allow the possession of guns for the people residing along the bordering area of West Karbi Anglong & Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong & Nagaland under the new arm license rules to protect themselves from any transborder aggression.
“If the government couldn’t fulfil the above given condition, Assam has no moral obligations to continue its control over KAAC and should immediately grant a Separate state under Article 3 of the constitution of India. If the Assam government doesn’t have the desire to protect our interests, then we will write our destiny on our own. Failure to safeguard the interest of Karbi and other Indigenous communities of KAAC region will face serious repercussions in future and the government of Assam will be solely responsible for it,” the KSU president stated further.
