Amit Shah discuss Assam-Mizoram border issue with Sonowal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over phone on Wednesday night to take stock of the present situation on the state’s border with Mizoram, an official release said.

As per the state government release, Shah was apprised by Sonowal of the measures to defuse the tension, including discussions between senior officials of both states.

Sonowal also said that his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga, during a telephonic talk earlier, assured him to take positive steps for bolstering peace at the border and strengthening brotherhood among the people of both the states.

Earlier on Wednesday, in presence of Union Joint Secretary, North East, in the Home Ministry, Satyendra Kumar Garg, the Home Secretaries of Assam and Mizoram agreed to maintain the status quo for resolving their fortnight-long border trouble and hold regular talks to prevent any further untoward incidents and sort out any irritants.

The meeting, held at an army camp close to Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district along the inter-state boundary, was also attended by other senior officials from both states.

The release said that Garg, who reached Assam as per the Union Home Minister’s direction, held an important discussions at Silchar, attended by the senior officials of Assam and Mizoram.

“During the discussion, all border related issues and steps required to maintain peace and law and order at the inter-state border was discussed thoroughly.”

The release also said that Sonowal has directed seamless movement of trucks and other vehicles through the inter-state border be ensured and this was done and the transport situation has returned to normalcy.

Union Home Minister had earlier also discussed the inter-state border issue with Zoramthanga.

The situation on the 164.6-km Assam-Mizoram border took an ugly turn since earlier this month with around 20 shops and houses burnt and over 50 people injured in the attacks and counter attacks by the people living along the border on Saturday.

Over 300 Mizoram-bound goods laden vehicles, mostly trucks, had stopped in Cachar district as the drivers and owners refused to enter Mizora, without adequate security.