Assam-Mizoram dispute old, FIR against Assam CM “normal thing”: MoS Home

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New Delhi: Amid the ongoing border dispute between Mizoram and Assam, Union minister of state for Home Affairs and BJP leader Ajay Mishra Teni on Saturday termed it as an “old dispute” and said that the Mizoram police registering a case against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the matter is a “normal thing”.

Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are monitoring the issue closely, Teni assured that the matter shall be resolved soon.

"The border dispute is an old dispute. It is constantly being monitored by the Prime Minister and Amit Shah ji and are trying to fix it. It shall be resolved soon. A case registered against the Chief Minister of Assam regarding the border dispute is a normal thing," said Teni speaking to reporters here on Saturday.

Mizoram police filed criminal cases against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, four senior officers of the state police, and two more officials, the police said on Friday.

The development comes days after the border dispute between the two states peaked and a fierce gun battle between the forces of the two states resulted in the death of five Assam police personnel and one civilian.

One injured policeman succumbed to his injuries later taking the total number of policemen killed to six. At least 50 people were injured in the incident.

A total of six companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed at the site where the policemen died.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday reacted to reports that an FIR had been filed against him and six officials in Kolasib district of Mizoram and asked why the case was not being handed over to a neutral agency as the incident took place within the constitutional territory of Assam.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said he has already spoken to Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on the issue.

"Will be very happy to join in any investigation. But why the case is not being handed over to a neutral agency, especially when the place of occurrence is well within the constitutional territory of Assam? Have already conveyed this to @ZoramthangaCM ji," he said in a tweet.

BJP leaders said vested interests will seek to benefit from tensions in Assam and Mizoram, both of which are border states.

"We can`t let that happen. Let there be a commission to resolve this matter between two states," a senior BJP leader said.

He said Assam has been trying to diffuse the tension. Chief secretaries and DGPs of both states attended the meeting called by Union Home Ministry on July 28.

Meanwhile, with efforts continuing to defuse border tensions between Assam and Mizoram, the row and the violence earlier this week is likely to be raised in parliament by BJP MPs from Assam on Monday.

Sources said that the MPs can raise the issue under rule 377. Under Rule 377 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business on Lok Sabha, members raise matters of urgent public importance that cannot be raised as short notice questions and calling attention motions.