CMs clash on Twitter as Assam-Mizoram border on the boil

Two days after Home Minister Amit Shah met Chief Ministers of the northeast states at Shillong, fresh violence broke out at the disputed Assam-Mizoram border on Monday (July 26).

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Incidents of firing and attacks on government vehicles were reported from the area which is located near Assam’s Cachar district and Mizoram’s Colasib district – and attacks on government vehicles, media reports said.

The Chief Ministers also engaged in a war of words on Twitter, and tagged Union Home Minister Amit Shah in their posts.

Also read: Mizoram cut off as blockade of border with Assam continues

Shri @AmitShah ji….kindly look into the matter.

This needs to be stopped right now.#MizoramAssamBorderTension @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @himantabiswa @dccachar @cacharpolice pic.twitter.com/A33kWxXkhG

— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) July 26, 2021

Tweeting a video of the violence showing people armed with sticks, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga sought Shah’s intervention, saying it “needs to be stopped right now.”

“(An) Innocent couple on their way back to Mizoram via Cachar (were) manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons. How are you going to justify these violent acts?” read another tweet.

Innoncent couple on their way back to Mizoram via Cachar manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons.

How are you going to justify these violent acts?@dccachar @cacharpolice @DGPAssamPolice pic.twitter.com/J9c20gzMZQ

— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) July 26, 2021

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “Honble @ZoramthangaCM ji, Kolasib (Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won’t listen nor stop violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest”.

Honble ⁦@ZoramthangaCM⁩ ji , Kolasib ( Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won’t listen nor stop violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest ⁦@AmitShah⁩ ⁦@PMOIndia⁩ pic.twitter.com/72CWWiJGf3

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 26, 2021

Soon after, Zoramthanga wrote to Sarma, “After a cordial meeting of CMs (chaired) by Shah, two companies of Assam Police with civilians lathi-charged and tear-gassed civilians at Vairengte Auto Rickshaw stand inside Mizoram today. They even overrun CRPF personnel/Mizoram Police.”

Also read: Mizoram issues prohibitory orders in border village over temple construction

Three Mizoram districts – Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit – share a 164.6 km inter-state border with Assam’s Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts. There have been skirmishes at the “disputed” areas of the border for years, with the residents on both sides accusing each other of intrusion.

The last incident was reported in June, when security forces of both states exchanged allegations of “intrusion”.

The Mizoram government has formed a boundary commission to deal with the border demarcation. The commission will be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Tawnluia and will have Home Minister Lalchamliana as vice-chairman.

Assam has border disputes with Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh as well.