People of Assam are facing death threats in Mizoram; Why is government silent… asks Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha

The faceoff between Mizo student union MZP and Assam Police and CRPF in Kachurtal might have ended but the tension is still heading north. After lathi-charge and firing in Kachurtal area, MZP cadres retreated and assured that they will not indulge in such anarchic activities again. We presumed that this was end of all the tiff between the two neighbouring states, but its far from any end.

After retreating from the border the Mizoram student union and other local groups started harassing the Assam born people residing in Mizoram. Both Assamese and Bengali communities are facing the repercussions of Kachurtal retreat. The Assam government has not really come out public in condemning Mizoram government’s lack of ability to control its student bodies from resorting to encroachment earlier and the internal torture now.

MLA, North Karimganj, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, today raised the point in assembly and questioned government on its silence. He said Assamese are stranded in Mizoram and need it’s government to act. He also raised the point that land was one of the key agenda in BJP’s election manifesto, “what happened to that now” he questioned.

On March 12, 2018 Mizoram chief minister, Lal Thanhawala wrote a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and requested Ministry of Home Affairs to intervene immediately to restore peace in the region. In the letter to the Home Minister, Thanhawala stated the alleged firing by Assam Poilice on Mizo youth in Kachurtal, “unfortunate and uncalled for”.

The MHA meanwhile conveyed that Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba will meet the chief secretaries of Mizoram and Assam and carry forward dialogues between the two neighbouring states.

Not only Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Aminul Islam also questioned government role in the entire controversy. “Government’s stand in the entire issue from very beginning is unsatisfactory. Assamese in Mizoram are chased, they are all followed every where and their life is at risk. The government should immediately act to ensure them proper security and safety,” said Islam. He took a jibe at Chandra Mohan Patowary and said the minister of industries is playing dirty polictics and risking lives of people for political benefits.

It all started on February 27, 2018 near national highway 154 at Kachurtal area in Hailakandi district, Assam. MZP had stationed a signboard stating the land belongs to MZP and this is a site for Zofate Chawlbhuk. They had also built a waiting-shed with wooden benches, they claim that the land originally belonged to the family of first Chief Minister of Mizoram Ch. Chhunga and the family has now donated the land to the youth organisation MZP.

Assam police with the help of state forest department demolished the shed built by the Mizo organisation and the two states had official exchanges and Assam government clearly mentioned it to the counterpart that the land belongs to Assam and encroachment will not be tolerated. On March 7 the MZP decided to re-build the waiting shed exactly at the same location. Since then the two parties had several confrontations. On March 10, 2018 the MZP retreated and since then people of Assam residing in Mizoram are facing serious security issues.