He said Assam would, at any cost, protect its territory and the reserve forest along the Mizoram border for the sake of the future generations…reports Asian Lite News.
As the Assam-Mizoram border row turned violent on Monday with a spate of clashes and five Assam Police personnel being shot dead, Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked over phone with both the Chief Ministers and urged them to maintain peace and protect the people.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who on Tuesday rushed to the border area, said that to protect the state’s reserve forest, his government would soon move the Supreme Court and deploy three commando battalions, comprising 4,000 personnel, along the inter-state border.
He said Assam would, at any cost, protect its territory and the reserve forest along the Mizoram border for the sake of the future generations.
Paying tributes to five killed policemen, he announced a government job and Rs 50 lakh as compensation to their next of kin and Rs one lakh for the 42 policemen and civilians injured in the border firing and clashes.
Sarmaa said that Shah’s instructions, Union Home Secretary Alok Bhalla would meet the Chief Secretaries of both states.
Referring to Monday’s firing from the other side, 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.”
He 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.
An Assam government statement said that there was unprovoked firing from the Mizoram side as its senior state officials, led by an Inspector General of Police, had requested Mizoram Police and officials to dismantle unauthorised constructions on the Assam side, leading to the death of five policemen, including a sub-inspector, and injuries to many other security personnel.
“The Assam officials suddenly were surrounded and attacked by a mob of miscreants, brandishing weapons and wearing helmets, from the Mizoram side and that was visibly supported by the Mizoram Police.
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