Assam-Nagaland border dispute: CM Tarun Gogoi seeks Narendra Modi's intervention

Guwahati, Assam: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, on Saturday, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene in restoring peace at violence affected Uriamghat near Assam-Nagaland border, which led to the death of 11 persons.

Gogoi, in a letter to the Prime Minister, requested him for additional ten companies of CRPF personnel in the area for rapid reinforcement of security along with setting up of security pickets in the affected villages so that violence does not spread to other areas.

The Chief Minister alleged that CRPF personnel deployed in the disputed area had failed miserably in protecting the poor villagers of Assam.

"The personnel deployed should be directed to take stern action proactively against the miscreants/extremists in an unbiased manner," he said in the letter.

There would not have been shocking loss of life and property had the neutral force been "prompt, proactive and unbiased," in handling the situation, Gogoi said.

Gogoi said that he had also taken up the matter with the Union Home Minister and was closely monitoring the situation.

"We are extending full cooperation to the neutral force and are in continuous touch with the Government of Nagaland for controlling the situation," he said.

The Chief Minister said the area affected by the latest violence falls in the 'B' sector of the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) and was located within the constitutional boundary of Assam.

Gogoi, while narrating the entire incident in the letter to the Prime Minister, pointed out that though there had been sporadic incidents in the area in the last couple of decades, the current violence perpetrated by Naga miscreants was of greater magnitude, claiming several lives and rendering thousands homeless.

Over 10,000 panic stricken villagers have taken shelter in 13 relief camps opened by the Golaghat district administration, he said.

"The incident has created fear and panic among the people living in the disputed area. Protest demonstrations are continuing in different parts of the state," he said.

The Chief Minister also urged the Prime Minister to hold a meeting at the political and official levels urgently to discuss measures for restoring peace in the area.

"We strongly desire restoration of peace, amity and harmony in our border areas with Nagaland," he added.