HSPDP asks PM to create Khasi-Jaintia state in Meghalaya

Shillong, June 26 (UNI) The Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) has reiterated its demand for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister yesterday, the HSPDP, the oldest regional political party in the state, said the proposed creation of a new state should include all the territories as mentioned in the Constitution and powers should be conferred upon that state under Article 371, similar to the states of Nagaland and Mizoram.

The party, which has two members in the 60-members Assembly, also urged the Prime Minister to suspend fencing of the international border until a fresh survey is carried out.

''The Centre had decided to fence the Indo-Bangla international border in the state,'' the HSPDP memorandum said, while suggesting the Centre plans to erect the fence 150 yards from the zero point.

The HSPDP felt if, fencing of Indo-Bangladesh border is allowed in the present plan, the indigenous people, who had already lost vast area of their fertile land to Bangladesh due to long and unaccepted demarcation of the border by Sir Cyril Radcliffe's Boundary Commission during India's Independence would again lose another vast area of their cultivable land, closed to the international border of the State.

The party also urged Dr Singh to intervene in this sensitive issue and talk to the Bangladeshi government on the need to review the international border in the state.

UNI