New Delhi: The long-standing border dispute between Assam and Mizoram, which dates back to 1875, is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon as Mizoram gears up for assembly elections later this year.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) is not in favour of a proposal from the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam to send a group of ministers to Aizawl to form a “regional committee” for addressing the issue, ThePrint has learnt.
Assam’s proposal came amid a persistent push from the MNF, which is a part of the National Democratic Alliance partner (NDA), to resume talks on the border issue, which has led to violent clashes, like the one between police forces of the two states in July 2021 that reportedly claimed seven lives, including that of a civilian.
However, due to the impending polls, Mizoram now wants to put the matter in the slow lane, a Mizoram government official told ThePrint.
Mizoram also feels that instead of forming a fresh committee, talks should be held at the secretary-level to “thrash out conflicting views and differences,” according to its home department’s letter dated 20 September to Assam.
The letter, which ThePrint has seen, pointed out that Mizoram is set for election shortly, and that the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners have already visited the state in August for this purpose. Elections are due in Mizoram in October-November along with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana.
“As such, the announcement of the poll schedule and enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is imminent and expected at any time. Therefore, the proposed meeting may be scheduled after the election process in Mizoram is completed,” the letter stated.
Meanwhile, a Mizoram government official said Assam’s proposal to set up a new committee just before the assembly polls in the state will not have takers.
“We kept pushing for secretary-level talks over the months, but they did not respond. The timing of the proposal to form this new regional committee is suspect,” the official added.
ThePrint reached Mizoram Home Minister Pu Lalchamliana for a response via calls and messages to the letter, but he did not comment.
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Proposal of regional committees
According to the letter, on 25 August, the Assam government wrote to Mizoram proposing that a delegation of ministers, including Border Protection and Development Department Minister Atul Bora and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal, visit Aizawl to meet MNF ministers and “decide the next round of modalities and explore the possibility of formation of Regional committee as was done for Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh borders”.
In 2022, regional committees were reportedly formed to resolve the boundary disputes of Assam with Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. In April this year, Bora reportedly informed the Assam assembly that the dispute with Arunachal Pradesh would be resolved by December 2023.
ThePrint reached Bora via calls and messages to seek a response to the proposal to form a committee for the dispute with Mizoram, but failed to elicit any response. The report will be updated once a response is received.
Border dispute
Assam and Mizoram share a 165-km-long border that runs between Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj districts in Assam and Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts in Mizoram.
At the root of the dispute are two border demarcations — one drawn up in 1875 between Lushai Hills in southeastern Mizoram and Cachar plains in Assam, and the other in 1933 between Lushai Hills and the then princely state of Manipur.
While Mizoram recognises the 1875 demarcation, which it claims was drawn up in consultation with Mizo chiefs, Assam accepts the latter.
Since the clashes in 2021, the two states reportedly held several rounds of talks, with the last one in November 2022. In February, the Mizoram government also submitted a list of its territorial claims to Assam, but since then the talks have remained stalled, according to media reports.
In the 20 September letter to Assam, Mizoram underlined that only secretary-level talks can lead to “further meaningful discussions on the core issue of the dispute to thrash out conflicting views and differences”.
“The progress, status and development of every round of the talks will be brought to the competent authorities in our respective state governments for guidance to arrive at a logical conclusion for an amicable, permanent and lasting solution of the vexed border issue,” it added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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