Students concered about Asom-Mizo border issue

Aizawl, Jul 28: Mizo Zirlai Pawl, the largest student body in the state while reviewing the situation on the Assam-Mizoram boundary dispute, said it hopes Chief Minister Zoramthanga's initiatives in addressing the issue was not just window dressing to appease the public.

The student body meeting said while it appreciates the steps taken by Chief Minister Zoramthanga on the boundary-dispute issue, it has fears that the initiatives may not materialise into concrete action since the issue has been a long-standing one with the Mizo people who had had several skirmishes in this regard.

"While the MZP has mounted 'Operation Joshua' to address the boundary dispute, it will continue to assert itself till the issue is resolved. Although the CM to CM talk between Mizoram and Assam is a step forward towards resolving the issue, the MZP is looking to the government of Mizoram to do more since the issue is yet to be resolved. Therefore, it is the MZP's fervent hope that the talk held by Mizoram Chief Minister with his Assam counterpart is not just a window dressing to appease public demand of action on the issue," a MZP statement said.

The statement also appealed for the public support for MZP's movement to regain Mizoram's lost territory.

Meanwhile, Assam Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman had recently told the Assam Assembly that Meghalaya had encroached on 11,659.11 acres, Nagaland 1,62,471.30 acres, Arunachal Pradesh 25,331.75 acres and Mizoram 12,744.67 acres inside Assam.

UNI