JORHAT (ASSAM), JUN 30 (PTI): Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday criticised the state and Central governments for “failing” to resolve the decades-old border row with Nagaland.
He questioned the Assam government whether it has conceded land to the neighbouring state even before the dispute could be settled by the Supreme Court.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the inter-state border in Mariani in Jorhat district, which comes under his Lok Sabha constituency, Gogoi alleged that the boundary is being altered and encroachment is happening on Assam land.
Citing his interactions with the locals, the MP said that they have claimed to be facing aggression from residents of the Nagaland side for years.
“But sadly, the role of the Assam and Central governments has been very dissatisfactory,” Gogoi said.
“The Nagaland administration has itself admitted that they have constructed a bridge within Assam’s territory back in 2020. Yet, about a week ago, when local residents of Assam went to clear the roads near that bridge under the Job Card scheme, they were obstructed by the Nagaland side,” he said.
Demanding the Assam government to clarify its stand in this regard, the state Congress president also questioned whether the BJP-led regime has conceded territory to Nagaland already.
Gogoi affirmed the Congress party’s commitment to safeguard the interests of the people and cooperation to the government to secure the state’s borders.
Assam shares a 512.1-km border with Nagaland, with dispute over the boundary since the creation of the neighbouring state in 1963. The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court for a resolution.
The government had said in the state Assembly that 59,490.21 hectares of land have been captured by Nagaland, the highest encroachment by any state on Assam territory.
