Not an inch of Asom land to any state: Opposition

Guwahati, July 12 (UNI) The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today raked up the vexed border tangle between Asom and its neighbouring states and slammed the state government for failing to resolve the issue so far.

Addressing the mediapersons here, Opposition leader and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Brindabon Goswami said, under no circumstances would any state whether Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya or Arunachal Pradesh be allowed to encroach even an inch of Asom land.

'' Even after the raid by Naga miscreants in the Geleky area of Sivasagar, the Congress government has failed to initiate any adequate measure to ensure security of the people of the border lying areas, '' Mr Goswami said.

The Opposition leader rebuked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's statement in the Assembly two years back that ''not an inch of Asom land would be given to anyone''.

He alleged that despite the Chief Minister's assurance, thousands of acres of land had been encroached by the neighbouring states and the government had remained a mute spectator.

'' There is no question of compromising with the territorial integrity of the state. Asom's constitutional boundary should be maintained at any cost, '' he demanded.

Stating that organisations were prompted to go for agitations like economic blockades in the wake of the failure of the government to provide them security, Mr Goswami demanded immediate removal of the government.

The Opposition leader sought the intervention of the Central government to resolve the boundary problem.

'' I have personally visited the affected areas along the border in Sivasagar. The people are gripped in a fear-psychosis and this is because there is no security apparatus at all in the areas, '' he said.

The state government was acting irresponsibly over the border row and its attitude had not augured well for the people of the state, he said.

The AGP president also said, the party would approach other like-minded Opposition parties and arrive at a consensus against the ''misrule'' of the Congress government.

UNI