By TON Research Section

Partition of subcontinent is hopscotch of blunders. The border disputes are not only limited to India with its neighboring countries but it moves to the states within India. Recently, the long-standing dispute between the two states of India, Assam and Mizoram took an ugly turn few days back. In the recent clashes at least six of the army personnel were killed and about 60 were injured as a result of Assam and Mizoram policemen firing on each other. Those killed in the clashes were all policemen from Assam.  Tension between both the states escalated on 26^th July, when police on both sides fired at each other. The escalation was sudden but the dispute has its roots in pre-partition. Earlier, in October 2020, at least eight people were been killed in clashes, twice in a week between residents of Assam and Mizoram over territory. Moreover, shops on both sides were also destroyed in those clashes.

The Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mizoram Zoramthanga argued and blamed each other for the violence and asked the central government for intervention. After a meeting between Assam ministers Ashok Singh and Atul Bora with three representatives from Mizoram, both the states issued a joint statement saying that “Both the states shall not send their respective forest and police forces for patrolling, domination, enforcement or for fresh deployment to any of the areas where confrontation and conflict has taken place between police forces of the two states in recent times,” it added that “Both the state governments agree to maintain peace in the inter-state border areas and welcome the deployment of neutral force by the Government of India in this regard.”

The movement of vehicles and goods has been effected by the blockade by locals in Assam's Cachar district. Mizoram claimed that Assam has blocked all the roads entering and exiting from Mizoram, hindering vehicle movement and wrote a letter to Union Home Ministry stating that"The NH-306 is the main highway for transportation of essential commodities and other goods. The blockade has already affected life and livelihood adversely in Mizoram," it added that “Vehicles bound for Mizoram which have been stranded on NH-306 at Lailapur since July 26 want to enter Mizoram without delay. In this regard kindly make all necessary arrangements immediately for enabling their entry into Mizoram without any law and order problem in Assam. The government of Mizoram gives it assurance for the safety and security of all drivers, passengers and their vehicles within Mizoram.” This comes on a day when the Union Home Secretary held a meeting with chief secretaries of both states in New Delhi.

The violence and clashes on the border between two states of India spotlights the long-standing boundary issues in the subcontinent. During the colonial rule, Mizoram was part of Assam and was known as “Lushai Hills” and after that it became a Union territory in 1972. Later on it was upgraded to a full-fledged state in 1987, following an agreement between the government of India and Mizo National Front (MNF), who started independence campaign and secession movement of Mizoram from the Union of India and it lasted for 20 years. According to that agreement “status quo should be maintained at no-man’s land set up in the boundaries.” Now Assam and Mizzoram are separate states of India and share a 165km-long border. Three districts in Assam: Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj shares border with three districts of Mizoram: Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit. The origin of the border disputes is a 1,318 sq km (509 square miles) area of hills and forests that Mizoram claims as its own on the basis of British law of 1875. Assam recognizes that it’s claimed boundary as transgressed and is part of its “constitutional boundary”. This forested region has dispute at several points and both the states keeps on accusing each other of their land encroachment. Both the states contest its demarcation.

Although, these border disputes are not new in India but the role of BJP-led Modi government is not very impressive. Amid this alarming situation in Assam-Mizoram border dispute, PM Modi remained silent and refrained from giving any public statements regarding the situation in the northeast of country. However, it seems like any border solving misstep or taking side of one of the two states can damage and decrease the influence of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) that’s why the Modi-led central government seems to be least interested in solving border disputes and gives the impression to be more interested in political win.

Certainly, these inter-state boundary disputes and clashes tell a lot about India’s inner situation and the blunders in partition. There are about seven other inter-states boundary disputes in the country which are the result of upheavals during the colonial rule and partition of the subcontinent. So far, no serious efforts have been made to solve the inter-states disputes in the country. The discussions and meetings on inter-state boundary disputes have led to temporary cease fire but the real problem goes unaddressed. The approach of putting the national as well as international issues on back has become new normal for Indian government, which is needed to be changed.