KSU Urges Central Government to Accelerate Meghalaya-Assam Border Negotiations
KSU Calls for Urgent Action on Border Talks
KSU members hold banners along the route during Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Shillong. (Photo)
Shillong, June 4: The Khasi Students' Union (KSU) has called on the central government to hasten the discussions regarding the Meghalaya-Assam border and to take a more proactive role in facilitating the ongoing negotiations between the two states.
During a two-day visit to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah received a memorandum from the KSU, which acknowledged the Centre's efforts in addressing the initial six disputed areas between Meghalaya and Assam.
The KSU emphasized that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs should continue to serve as the main facilitator to expedite the Phase-II talks being held by the joint regional committees from both states.
The memorandum highlighted that the remaining six disputed areas are particularly sensitive, with frequent tensions arising in these locations.
The KSU claimed that provocations from Assam often result in law-and-order disturbances, impacting the livelihoods and development initiatives in the affected regions.
In the memorandum, the KSU urged that Assam should refrain from aggressive actions and maintain peace until these matters are resolved.
This appeal follows an agreement made on June 3 between the governments of Meghalaya and Assam, allowing villagers from both states to cultivate in specified areas of the disputed Lapangap region.
However, the matter of permanent boundary demarcation has been escalated to a higher-level committee for further discussions.
Additionally, the KSU reiterated its demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, arguing that unchecked illegal immigration has significantly altered the demographic landscape of the state.
The organization expressed concerns that such migration threatens the survival of Meghalaya's indigenous tribal communities. They also noted that recent eviction drives in Assam and West Bengal have resulted in an influx of migrants into Meghalaya, which currently lacks sufficient protective measures to manage entry and settlement.
Furthermore, the KSU appealed to Shah to support the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, a long-standing demand of the community.