The governments of Assam and Mizoram, at a meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Wednesday, agreed to the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the disturbed areas along their border and National Highway 306.
“Both agreed for deployment of a neutral force under a senior CAPF officer,” a Union Home Ministry official said, adding that they also agreed to continue discussions to resolve the border issue amicably.
Six policemen and another person were killed in border clashes between the two States on Monday. The Chief Secretaries and the Directors-General of Police of both States attended the meeting that went on for more than two hours.
Earlier, the Mizoram government requested the Ministry for directions to Assam to remove the road and rail blockades for resumption of flow of essential commodities and movement of people of the State.
In a letter to Mr. Bhalla, the State government said National Highway-306 and other roads connecting Mizoram with other parts of the country from Assam had been blocked from Monday.
“The blockade is affecting the livelihood of the people of Mizoram adversely. Movement of vehicles along other routes connecting Mizoram and Assam have also been blocked inside Assam,” it said.
“...the State sponsored economic blockade was earlier imposed by Assam for a long period lasting from October 17, 2020, to November 11, 2020. That blockade had seriously affected the livelihood of the people of Mizoram, resulting in various hardships,” said the letter.
The State government expressed concern that “Assam has been indulging in the practice of imposing economic blockade merely because of the fact the main supply routes i.e., national highways and railway lines are passing through the State. Incidents like this have occurred numerous times in the past in connection with other incidents.”
“It is also reported that unknown miscreants from Assam have destroyed/removed railway tracks/lines at Mohammedpur railway station and Ramnathpur railway station in Hailakandi district, Assam. With this destruction, the only railway line connecting Bairabi Railway Station, Mizoram, has been blocked. This has the effect of blocking the only alternative route for entry of goods and supplies into the State,” the letter stated.
National highways and railway lines were owned by the Central government and no State agency/entity or the general public had any right to block them, Mizoram pointed out and sought the Centre’s immediate intervention.
