Nagaland Home Minister meets Handique border issue

Guwahati, Jul 26 (UNI) Nagaland Home minister Thenucho today discussed the vexed border row with Union Minister of State Bijoy Krishna Handique, following the AASU's clarion call against the growing 'incursion' of encroachers into Asom.

In a joint statement, the ministers maintained that both sides wanted peace along the border areas, and the boundary dispute ought to be resolved through discussion at the Chief Minister level.

Both the ministers also advocated that the joint border meeting should be held regularly.

They are expected to convey the outcome of the meeting to the respective Chief Ministers.

Mr Thenucho's visit to Asom came days after the Union Minister Mr Handique, representing Upper Asom's Jorhat constituency, went hammer and tongs against the unabated incursion of encrochers from Nagaland side into Asom.

On the other hand, the AASU was preparing for much-hyped march to the actual boundary in Jorhat, on August 8 next.

AASU joint secretary Nilotfar Rehman, leading the agitation, said around 2,000 student activists would be marching from Mariani township to the border observation post on the actual boundary.

''The encroachers have intruded more than 15 km from the actual boundary, and have even set up government offices inside Asom's territory. We have been clamouring to evict the illegal establishments, but the Asom Government has turned its back,'' Mr Rehman said.

The programme, if carried out, might be the first of its kind in the state, and might call for adequate security bandobast to thwart any eventuality during the march.

UNI