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Journalism of Courage
The Centre has stepped in to avoid a fresh confrontation over ‘‘disputed area belt’’ between Assam and Nagaland and has asked both state governments to exercise restraint in view of the Lok Sabha elections.
‘‘A clear message has been conveyed to administrations of both the states — ensure peace at any cost in view of the Lok Sabha elections. They have also been asked to forward the directions to police personnel posted in the disputed area. There were reports of tension between the security personnel of both states,’’ a senior Home Ministry official said.
It is understood that the message was conveyed to the chief secretaries of the two states by Home Secretary Anil Baijal last week.
Though the dispute over Merapani, Nagapath and Umrigath sectors in Golaghat district is not new, what caused fresh tension last week, was a police outpost set up by the Assam government. The situation threatened to escalate into a violent clash.
Nagaland Minister in-charge of border affairs N. Khao Lotha shot off a letter to the Home Ministry, alleging that the Assamese, at the behest of the state police, were forcibly trying to occupy land belonging to Nagaland.
Interestingly, just before the police outpost controversy, Assam CM Tarun Gogoi had requested the Centre to ask Nagaland to maintain status quo.
The Nagaland minister also complained that Assam had failed to comply with mutual agreements of 1972 and 1979 — to withdraw their police from the disputed belt within a stipulated time. Setting up more border outposts was a violation of the agreement, he said.
On its part, the Assam government claimed the area to be theirs. However, to maintain neutrality, the Union government had deployed CRPF here. But Nagaland countered its claim, saying it did not mean anything as the CRPF was under the operational control of an Inspector General of Assam Police.
The dispute was already under Supreme Court review as the Assam government had approached the apex court in 1988, accusing Nagaland of encroaching upon its land. In fact, the Gogoi government in Assam in February turned down Nagaland’s offer for an out-of-court settlement, saying the land rightfully belonged to Assam.
