NEW DELHI: The Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while chairing a meeting with the chief minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal CM Pema Khandu, on Thursday urged the two states to sort out all the border issues at the earliest.
Shah also added that the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi envisions a peaceful and prosperous Northeast. In order to attain this dream, Assam and Arunachal should sort out issues relating to their borders.
Shah also assured both the states that the center will offer whatever assistance they need to solve the border issue.
After the meeting on Thursday, as many as 12 panels were formed by both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh after a discussion between the chief ministers of both states to aid both states in easing the border issues.
There were earlier 123 villages that were causing disputes between the two states but after discussion between the two chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal, the number of the disputed villages have been reduced to 86, thus taking the first step toward mutual understanding.
Both the states have agreed to resolve all issues soon so that the Prime Minister's dream of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast turns into reality.
Assam and Arunachal share a very long boundary of 804.1 km, second only to Meghalaya, where Assam shares an 884.9km long boundary.
Arunachal, which was made a union territory in 1972, had complained that several forested tracts in the plains that traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam after which skirmishes started.
After Arunachal achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was constituted which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal. Assam however contested this claim and the matter is still in the Supreme Court.
According to the 'Namsai Declaration', Sarma and Khandu agreed that out of the 37 disputed villages, 28 which are within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal Pradesh shall remain with the state while, three villages on which claims were withdrawn by Arunachal Pradesh, will be with Assam.
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