Tensions rising in the Northeastern borders
Gunfire and grenades exploded along a stretch of dense tropical forest in India’s northeast on Monday in a standoff involving hundreds of police and civilians over a long-disputed state border crossing Indian policemen along the borders of the Assam and Mizoram opened fire at each other and at least 5 Assam policemen were martyred.
Mizoram and Assam administration quickly blamed each other for the bloodshed as always and the standoff inside their respective territories continues..
What is the actual problem?
Well, these disputes along the two Northeastern states are not happening for the first time as it initially broke out in 1994 over demarcated boundaries and lack of clarity on their total areas. For years now both the sides has been encroaching each others land and conflicts continued in some or the other way.
The states were created in accords drawn with the government of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in an attempt to broker a solution to years of rebel insurgency by groups seeking independence from India.
Villagers became furious
Tensions escalated to an unprecedented level in October 2020 when residents of Assam and Mizoram clashed twice in a week. At least eight people were injured as angry Residents torched huts and small shops on both sides.
At the heart of the matter was an “eviction drive” carried out by Assam along a contested part of the border – authorities from the state reportedly burned a farmhouse and crops in the area.
Residents from both states also blocked key highways, bringing all traffic to a halt for almost three weeks until the federal government intervened to defuse tensions.
These incidents are not at all a symbol of a peaceful atmosphere in the Northeast and each day its heating more and more. Though Assam is led by the B.J.P. and Mizoram by a regional party in coalition with the B.J.P., the talks with Mr. Shah appeared not to defuse tensions, as the fighting Monday made all too clear.
