A move has been initiated at the highest level to reconcile the divergent viewpoints on the question of reorganisation of Assam held by the two sides, namely the All-Party Hill Leaders’ Conference and the other section representing the plains. Soon after a meeting of the Internal Affairs Committee of the Union Cabinet which reviewed recent developments, the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, received a 10-member delegation of the APHLC led by Capt. Williamson Sangma. The talks lasted about two hours. Also present were the Home Minister, Mr. Y.B. Chavan, the Defence Minister, Mr. Swaran Singh, the Prime Minister’s Secretary, Mr. P.N. Haksar, and the Home Secretary, Mr. L.P. Singh. It would appear that the Cabinet’s Internal Affairs Committee authorised the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Defence Minister to have talks with the hill leaders to see how far the divergent views between the two sides could be reconciled, so that the issue could be settled to the satisfaction of all concerned. Mrs. Gandhi earlier in the day also conferred with senior Cabinet Ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Morarji Desai, the Home Minister, Mr. Chavan, and the Law Minister, Mr. P. Govinda Menon. The late evening [June 7, New Delhi] discussion between the Prime Minister and the hill leaders was marked by cordiality. It was stated that the complexities of the problem and its manifold ramifications were discussed. Neither the Home Minister nor the hill leaders threw any light on the nature of the discussions when accosted by Pressmen.
