Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday said Mukroh is part of the state territory and described Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government’s claim over the region in the state assembly as “unfortunate.”
Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said, “our stand is very clear that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya. Even till this moment, it is under the territory of Meghalaya.”
The statement came after the Assam Chief Minister Sarma, in a written reply to a query by BJP MLA Bidya Sing Engleng, said Mukroh village is a part of West Karbi Anglong district.
Responding to the statement, the Meghalaya deputy chief minister reiterated its stand and asserted, “It is very unfortunate that the Assam CM has claimed Mukroh to be a part of Assam. We reiterate that Mukroh is well within Meghalaya, and there is no dispute about it.”
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He further said he doesn’t know why Sarma made the statement, adding, “I personally feel he shouldn’t have made that statement. Our stand is very clear on Mukroh.”
When asked if a protest letter would be sent to the Assam government, the deputy chief minister said Meghalaya would wait as inter-state talks are expected to resume soon. “We will wait for that,” he said.
Regarding the reconstitution of regional committees, he stated, “Our priority is to initiate the process now as we have already informed the people of the state that the second phase of talks will commence soon. We will work out the details accordingly.”
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The written statement submitted in the Assam Assembly quoting the West Karbi Anglong SP (Border) report stated, “The clash between a team of Assam Police and timber smugglers of Meghalaya took place within the boundary of Assam on November 22, 2022. Assam Police was accompanied by a team of Forest Protection Force (FPF).”
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The statement also mentioned that the clash between Assam Police and Meghalaya’s forest officials was unrelated to border issues between the two neighbouring states.
Six people, a forest guard from Assam and five villagers of Meghalaya, were killed in a violent clash following “unprovoked” firing by Assam Police and state forest guards at the disputed location along the interstate border on November 22, 2022.
