SHILLONG, APR 4: “If you are concern only about a fish pond, which is not even 25,000 sq ft, so how do we resolve the (border) problem,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong asked those who are protesting against the MoU signed between Meghalaya and Assam, on Monday.
Tynsong, who is the chairman of the Regional Committee of Ri Bhoi District, said that people are being misled as far as Maikhuli village is concerned.
“(In) Maikhuli area, I am telling you that graveyard in fact previously used by our people but not less than 15-20 years, Assam they claim and we did not get it and we couldn’t not utilize it and we could not use that area…The total area of that graveyard is not less than 8 acres,” he told reporters.
“I am telling you when we were on the ground it was so difficult as some sections of the people say we want to be in Meghalaya and some sections of the people say we want to be in Assam. Ultimately after doing due diligence then the MoU was signed between Assam and Meghalaya,” he added.
Stating that his committee had already visited all the places, Tynsong however said, “We need to understand one thing the spirit of understanding between the both the governments has to be there. And that spirit is what? When there is a difference or any dispute, we need to sit down across the table and once we sit down across the table adjustment has to be there, you cannot say 100% is Assam or 100% is Meghalaya. Some adjustment has to be there.”
The deputy chief minister further stated – “And if we fail this, you please mark my word even for another 50 years I don’t think we will be able to resolve the issue.”
Expressing his gratitude to the Assam CM and Meghalaya CM for having the courage to take a decision to end the dispute in the first 6 areas of difference, he said, “Please don’t misunderstand this crisis, this protest, this opposition is not only in Meghalaya side but even in Assam side the chief ministers, the ministers, the local MLAs how much pressure till today they are having from the local people all along these six areas of difference.”
“(Therefore), I would request and appeal to all the stakeholders to let us accept one reality and the reality is if we don’t solve today I don’t think we will be able to resolve it in future,” he asserted.
Terming the Jatalong incident a personal issue of the two groups, Tynsong also requested the NGOs “please don’t create this issue as a public issue as if you go deep down you will know the truth and the truth is personal.”
“So therefore, I would request even from our side and even from the Assam side let us not create unnecessary situations because very soon we are going to start even the second phase of the six remaining areas in the entire state of Meghalaya,” he stated.
By Our Reporter
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