The Assam-Meghalaya border dispute has been a major political issue for the parties contesting the February 27 Meghalaya Assembly elections, especially when it comes to making an emotional connection with the original inhabitants of the land and their rights.
News18 went to areas near Mukroh, the epicenter of the border conflict that killed six people in Assam police firing in November last year, and also flashpoints between people on both sides and the respective governments.
The bumpy roads leading to Mukhroh give a glimpse of backwardness and isolation. Some people in this border hamlet were on the streets and the AITC some flags of (all India Trinamool Congress) is fluttering. There are still no elections in Assam. Flags in the state’s villages along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Karbi Anglong raise the political temperature to almost nothing in early spring.
As we moved into Meghalaya in the state’s West Jaintia Hills inside Mukroh, the election mood was missing, though flags of political parties and corner meetings were being held occasionally. People also shied away from speaking, and if anyone spoke, it was in their own dialect, almost Greek.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee Had visited these villages just after the firing incident where five people of the area had died. All festivals and celebrations were canceled in the state till the end of December as a mark of respect to the deceased. TMC announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh and promised to stand with the grieving and their concerns, which was reflected in their election manifesto. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who lost one of his policemen in the shootout, reacted quickly and launched an inquiry and announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the dead.
Mukroh village is located in Lasken subdivision of Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. It is situated 40 KM from sub-district headquarter Lasken (Tehsildar Office) and 66 KM from district headquarter Jowai. Mukroh has a total population of 1,977, of which males are 1,000 while females are 977. The literacy rate of the village is 40.52%, of which 37% are male and 44.11% are female literate. There are about 380 houses in Mukroh village.
But Assam government records show that Mukroh village is located in Donka taluka of Karbi Anglong in Assam. Total geographical area of Mukroh village is 53 Hectares, Nearest police station is located in Donka Tehsil. The villages adjacent to Mukroh include Rongpangbong, Nongtirong, Wanpung, Rongkhelan, Samtan, Umkhirmi, Siyar and Khatkhasala.
Recently at a huge public meeting in Resubelpar, Trinamool Congress Legislature Party leader and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Mukul Sangma assured the people that he would fight for the land snatched from them.
Sangma said, “We know that this government has taken away the land in a vicious way, but I promise that after forming the government, I will return it to the people.”
The BJP’s manifesto for the Meghalaya assembly elections promised to end the border conflict with Assam through dialogue, saying it was not a fight between India and Pakistan, but a dispute between two neighboring states. Is. “We promise to make Meghalaya a Mega Meghalaya based on the motto of speed, scale and skill,” the manifesto said.
Block 1 as the area is often referred to in official records as one of the six remaining disputed areas along the Assam-Meghalaya border for which the two governments have not yet come to an agreement. Both the states have identified 12 dispute areas along the interstate border. The first round of discussion on border disputes was held in July 2021 and the two states signed an MoU in March 2022 to resolve differences in six areas. Mukroh village is in the disputed Block 1 area along the interstate border. The remaining six disputed border areas between the two north-eastern states are Block I in West Jaintia Hills district, Block 2 in Ri-Bhoi and Langpeh in West Khasi Hills.
On the way back from Mukroh, election fever was palpable in the Khasi (a major tribe of Meghalaya) dominated Assam part of the border. There were flags of all the parties and there was ample evidence of the frequent occurrence of election street meetings.
“The Khasis living in the Karbi Anglong border have voter ID cards of Meghalaya and Assam as well. They do not vote in Karbi Anglong elections but actively participate in Meghalaya elections. Campaigning and election meetings are in full swing on Assam soil for the upcoming Meghalaya elections,” Sarthe Phangsu, a social worker from Rongseng village in Karbi Anglong along the interstate border, told News18.
“Nothing has changed since November 22. Political parties contesting the Meghalaya Assembly elections are campaigning intensively in Mujem, Siyar, Kathaksala, Dinglar, Modan and Mukroh villages of Karbi Anglong soil. We now have doubts whether the policy of give and take between the two governments has actually been implemented for the second round of negotiations, or why to launch a campaign on Assamese soil. I went to Sanseong last Saturday, I saw endless election meetings by BJP, NPP, TMC and UDP too. A huge meeting of NPP was held at the football ground of Mulaber village. Congress was also holding its meeting in another area. I have a picture of these meetings,” said Fangsu.
Locals also complained that people living in these Khasi villages in the Assam region prefer to take advantage of Meghalaya government schemes, including electricity provided by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
Meghalaya State Election The department had issued notices in 2021 to people with dual voter cards. On August 6, 2021, the office of the Deputy Commissioner of West Khasi Hills issued an order stating that “Individuals allegedly having dual voter cards in the states of Meghalaya and Assam, booth-level officers to be screened and field verified Ordered to investigate all such existing double enrollment cases and take necessary action…” Meghalaya conducted hearings of such voters at six different locations – Warang, Malongkona, Malapara, Athiyabari, Lejadubi and Kirshai.
“There are police outposts at Mokoilung and Jirikiding, yet political parties are campaigning on Assamese soil. When we say we will not give even an inch of our land, do we mean it? Is there a conspiracy to get Meghalaya votes from these people? This is a political attack in the name of elections. Why is the Assam government a mute spectator to this political attack? Political parties have gone far beyond the Mokoilung outpost and have reached the hinterland. It is sad that the people of the Khasi community living in these areas are now set to exercise their franchise in the Meghalaya elections,” said Rensing Bey, former executive member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
The Meghalaya cabinet had approved setting up of seven border police posts, including two at Mukroh and Jirikiding, following the tragic incident. Both the governments also decided to maintain status quo in the disputed area till the completion of the second phase of settlement.
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