Assam-Mizoram border dispute: Home Minister Amit Shah asks Chief Ministers to resolve issue

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly spoke to the Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram asking them to resolve the recently flared border dispute between the two states.

Both the Chief Ministers – Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mizoram’s Zoramthanga – have agreed to resolve the issue and maintain peace and the police forces of both sides have returned from the disputed site, ANI said quoting sources.

This comes after the two chief ministers engaged in a face-off on Twitter as they complained to Shah, who had held a meeting on the border disputes between the northeastern states at Shillong on Saturday.

Tension flared along the Mizoram-Assam border after eight farmers' huts were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants, a senior police officer said on Monday.

The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as 'Aitlang hnar' about 5 km from Vairengte, accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory.

On Monday, CM Zoramthanga shared a clip of a scuffle between security forces and the Assam police. He tagged the union home minister to look into the matter.

An hour later he posted another video. “Innoncent couple on their way back to Mizoram via Cachar manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons. How are you going to justify these violent acts?” wrote Zoramthanga.

To this, the Assam CM replied, “Kolasib ( Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won't listen nor stop violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest @AmitShah @PMOIndia.”

“Dear Himantaji, after cordial meeting of CMs by (Amit Shah), surprisingly 2 companies of Assam Police with civilians lathi-charged & tear-gassed civilians at Vairengte Auto Rickshaw stand inside Mizoram today. They even overrun CRPF personnel /Mizoram Police,” Zoramthanga replied.

Following this exchange of barbs, Sarma tweeted that he had spoken to the Mizoram CM and “reiterated that Assam will maintain status quo and peace between the borders of our state”.

In response, Zoramthanga tweeted, “As discussed I kindly urge that Assam Police be instructed to withdraw from Vairengte for the safety of civilians.”

Mizoram shares a 164.6-km-long inter-state border with Assam.