Border dispute: Assam ministers reach Mizoram 'with message of peace'
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Two ministers of the Assam government -- Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal -- reached Mizoram on Thursday to hold talks with officials from Mizoram days after forces from the two neighbouring states indulged into a violent fight along the border leading to multiple fatalities and several injuries.
Mizoram CM Zoramthanga wrote on Twitter, “Assam ministers Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal landed at Lengpui airport. The Assam delegates will have a meeting with representatives from (the) government of Mizoram soon at Aizawl.”Ahead of the flight to Mizoram, Bora said, "We're hopeful (of interaction). Assam wants to keep the spirit of unity and brotherhood among northeastern people."
Earlier, Assam chief minister HimantaBiswaSarma said the ministers will visit Mizoram's capital with a "message of peace from people of Assam".
"Two of my senior colleagues Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal will visit Aizawl tomorrow with a message of peace from (the) people of Assam," Sarma tweeted.
On Tuesday, Singhal said the situation along the border is "normal", adding he and Bora will meet CM Zoramthanga to find a resolution.
On July 26, the border dispute between the two states escalated into a fierce gun battle between the forces resulting in the death of six Assam police personnel. At least 50 people were injured in the clashes. Following the incident, six companies of CRPF were deployed in the disputed area as neutral forces.
A day after the clash, the Assam government said that in "another breach" of existing agreements and the existing status quo, Mizoram began constructing a road towards RengtiBasti in Assam, "destroying the Inner Line Reserve Forest in Lailapur area."
"The Mizoram side also set up a new armed camp on a hillock next to the camp of the neutral force, CRPF, in the same vicinity," it said.
Amid heightened tensions, the Assam government had issued a travel advisory and advised people from the state not to travel to Mizoram due to the "critical prevailing situation". However, the Mizoram government clarified that there is no restriction on the movement of non-residents of Mizoram who will be traveling through the disputed area of the Kolasib district.An alleged blockade of National Highway 306 by residents of Assam after the violent showdown has hit movement and affected supply of essentials in Mizoram.
Zoramthanga had earlier directed Mizoram Police to withdraw the FIR registered against officials of Assam following the July 26 incident.As a "goodwill" gesture, Sarma also gave directions to the state police to withdraw FIR against K Vanlalvena, RajyaSabha MP from Mizoram. However, he said cases against other accused police officers will be pursued.Speaking at a meeting of North-East Chief Ministers in Shillong on July 25, Zoramthanga said that "the large tract of areas claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary has been used for collection of forest producers and for shifting and settled cultivation for the past 100 plus years by the people of Mizoram, and that Assam started claiming these areas only fairly recently due to population pressure apparently caused by the large-scale influx of migrants from outside Barak valley."