As border tension escalates, Assam, Mizoram CMs trade charges on Twitter; seek help from Shah

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 26

As the reports of escalation in violence at Assam-Mizoram border came about on Monday, the chief ministers of the two states took to micro-blogging site Twitter to trade charges against each other while tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and asking them for their immediate intervention to quell the tension.

Sharing a video clip on his Twitter handle showing locals clashing with police, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said, “Shri @AmitShah ji... kindly look into the matter. This needs to be stopped right now.”

Responding to this first, the Assam Police tweeted saying that it was unfortunate that miscreants from Mizoram are indulging in stone-pelting and attacked Assam government officials, stationed at Lailapur to protect Assam’s land from encroachment.

This was followed by a tweet by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also sought immediate intervention of Shah and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and said, “How can we run a government in such circumstances?” He said a superintendent of police from Mizoram was asking Assam’s officials to withdraw from their post, failing which civilians from the neighbouring state would not stop the violence.

After this, Zoramthanga wrote to Sarma, “Dear Himantji, after a cordial meeting of CMs (chaired) by Shah, two companies of Assam Police lathicharged and tear gassed civilians at Vairengte Auto Rickshaw stand inside Mizoram today.

They even overrun CRPF personnel/Mizoram Police.” He went on to add: “How are you going to justify these violent acts? Shri Amit Shah ji... kindly look into the matter. This needs to be stopped right now.”

Taking note of this tweet, Assam chief minister responded by alleging that civilians from Mizoram are trying to incite violence in the state.

“Hon’ble Zoramthanga ji, could you please investigate why are civilians from Mizoram holding sticks and trying to incite violence? We urge civilians to not take up law and order on their own hands and permit peaceful dialogue to take place between governments @AmitShah @PMOIndia,” Sarma tweeted.

Later in another tweet Sarma said, “I’ve just spoken to Mizoram CM Zoramthanga ji. I have reiterated that Assam will maintain status quo and peace between the borders of our state. I have expressed my willingness to visit Aizawl and discuss these issues if need be.”

Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the HM today spoke to the chief ministers of both states asking them to resolve the crisis and the two of them have agreed to abide by Shah’s request, as the police forces of both states have now retreated from the disputed site.

At the chief ministers’ meeting, chaired by the Union home minister last Saturday in Shillong, Zoramthanga was learnt to have said the area claimed by Assam has been used by people from Mizoram for over 100 years.

“The border disputes are a legacy of the colonial era that the present government inherited from its predecessor which has been left unresolved at the time of the formation of states like Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram,” he had said.