RPP Press Release on border issue with Assam

According to reports, the CM of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken the hawkish decision to set up Assam police battalion camps – not mere police outposts – all along the DAB with Nagaland. This unfortunate stand is against the spirit of good neighbourly relations, and yet it was a political decision taken in the supposed interest of Assam. At the end of the day any leader is expected to uphold the interest of its land and people and Sarma’s unexpected announcement is no exception.

The fact that this aggressive measure was announced before HM Amit Shah’s scheduled meeting with all the CMs of the Northeast on the 17 July gives the impression that Sarma is not willing to budge on the niggling border issue vis-à-vis the neighbouring states.

So the moot question is, what is the border policy of our own government? Is the PDA government ready to tackle the issue? To be fair on the present government, the border dispute with Assam is not a recent issue. While the matter is still under judicial consideration in the Supreme Court, there has been numerous cases of border tensions, road and economic blockades against the state by elements from the neighbouring state.

The RPP demands that the CM Rio publicly counter the Assam Chief Minister’s statement given on the 13 July in the floor of the Assembly. It’s important that as a leader the CM assure the people of Nagaland that the land, lives and property of people living in border areas would be protected at all costs.

The RPP also demands that the PDA government bring out a White paper (policy document) categorically making its stand clear on the border issue with clear actionable plans.

The Mizoram government too has vowed to protect its boundary at all costs from undue aggression by Assam. The Home Minister of Mizoram made a public statement that its state police personnel has been sent to the border areas to protect the territory of the state and to safeguard the lives and properties of the people living in the Mizoram-Assam border areas.

To resolve the Nagaland-Assam border issue is one of the core manifesto of the Rising People’s Party and it expresses its solidarity with our people living in border areas.

Issued by Rising People’s Party.

15 July 2021