Decision after chief ministers’ telephone discussion
Shillong, Dec 23 : Meghalaya chief minister Donkupar Roy today made a proposal to his Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi for setting up a joint mechanism of policing in the disputed Langpih (Lampi in Assam) along the West Khasi Hills border.
The chief ministers had a telephone discussion on the issue today.
Addressing reporters later, Roy said Gogoi had promised to consider the proposal and also promised to send his response soon.
Roy said the Langpih residents had complained about frequent harassment by the Assam police personnel posted there, which prompted the Meghalaya government to press for a joint police mechanism in the disputed area.
According to Roy, Assam police seized materials meant for construction of a school at Mawsikar near Langpih recently.
“Officers of Boko police station had also warned against the sale of beef in the market area in Langpih,” Roy alleged.
Besides, there were reports of electric polls being uprooted in the Lejadubi area near Langpih.
“In this context, I have asked Gogoi to remove the Assam police outpost from Langpih and if not, to allow Meghalaya police personnel to start a joint patrol along with Assam police personnel,” Roy said.
“Meghalaya police will set up its police outpost at Langpih to facilitate the joint patrol,” Roy added.
This move on the part of Meghalaya is to ensure that the Khasi and Garo residents of Langpih do not face any disturbance during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
There are 40 villages belonging to Khasi families while another 40 belong to Garo families in Langpih.
Besides, there are also around 380 Nepali families residing in the area.
During his telephone conversation with Gogoi today, Roy also reminded him the official letter he had sent to Dispur in this regard recently.
“The Assam chief minister while speaking to me promised to consider this proposal and to send his response soon,” Roy said.
On November 20, Assam rejected Meghalaya’s demand to set up a police outpost at Langpih (Lampi) and both sides decided to maintain status quo on the disputed area after the second round of meeting of chief secretaries in Byrnihat.
But a day later, Meghalaya did a U-turn and said it would go ahead with setting up a police outpost in the area bordering Assam.
The state had then, too, said the police outpost was aimed at providing security to the people living in Langpih.
Roy’s proposal for a joint patrol in the area is the latest twist in the neighbours’ tussle over the disputed village.
The Telegraph