Over 10,000 Khasi selected to stay in Karbi Anglong along border

Guwahati: More than 10,000 Khasi people living in West Karbi Anglong district of Assam (under Block II) have chosen to stay in the Assam region.

A delegation of the United Khasi People’s Organization (UKPO), Karbi Anglong Central Committee, led by its President Pynshngainlang Rattane, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya and Norting Constituency MLA, Sniawabhalang Dhar met in Shillong earlier in the week and urged them to hold talks with their Assam counterparts. counterpart for a permanent settlement of the border dispute.
During the interaction with the UKPO delegation, Dhar assured that the second phase of border demarcation talks would be initiated soon.

Rattane told Dhar that miscreants from Meghalaya often enter Assam territory and disturb peace in the border areas by indulging in anti-social activities, which should be stopped immediately.
Dhar asked the Khasi organization to take initiatives for peaceful coexistence between the Karbis and Khasis living along the inter-state border.

A delegation from the Khasi organization also visited Khanduli village, where miscreants from Meghalaya torched two houses on May 12.

The delegation also met the head of Khanduli village and discussed the restoration of peace in the areas.
The delegation also appealed to both Jaintia Hills Autonomous Council of Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council of Assam to jointly visit the border areas to restore peace in the border villages.

Khandoli, Langhempi, Saitsema, Arting, Mokiram Ningkreng, Tadolangso, Tapat are some of the prominent villages of West Karbi Anglong along the border.
The delegation included former chairman of the board Pius Stein, members Vincent Sten, Sacharisas Khrim, Lidya Mukhodhh and Lucia Sten and Karbi Anglong Khasi Student Union President Mardius Saring.

“We have been here since the 18th century. We prefer to live with Assam, not Meghalaya. But we want a peaceful situation along the inter-state border so that people of all classes can live together,” United Khasi People’s said. The organization, Karbi Anglong Central Committee President Pynshngainlang Rattane said.

Rattane said, “We want an early resolution of the border dispute between the two states.
“We are one of the oldest indigenous tribes living here since the 18th century. But we have no representation in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). We have been demanding representation in the KAAC, but the government has so far rejected our proposal. did not accept,” Rattane said.

“Our population is spread across 9 MACs (members of autonomous council) in Karbi Anglong. But we have no political power except voting rights. We demanded the post of chairman in the development board, which was also rejected. given.
“Despite gross negligence, we prefer to stay with Assam. During the statehood given to Meghalaya, we preferred to stay with Assam. We also have good relations with our Karbi brothers,” he added.

“Unfortunately, some of our brothers preferred the merger with Meghalaya due to the negligence of the Assam government,” he added.

“The central government through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is planning to provide education to students in their mother tongue at least up to class VI. However, our Khasi language is the list of local languages ​​for implementation of NEP. I am not involved,” he said.
The Assam government had set up a Khasi Jaintia Development Council (KJDC) in 2021 ahead of the assembly elections. Three years passed but no funds were allocated to the council as there was no budgetary provision for the council.

Meghalaya shares a border of over 2,000 sq km with the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

Border villages have witnessed tense situation since April 17 after miscreants from Meghalaya allegedly entered Assam territory and indulged in anti-social activities.
Miscreants set fire to a house in Mukoiram in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on the night of May 13. Also on the night of May 11, miscreants set ablaze a newly constructed house of a Bernadus Bay at Chirilangso Tapat along the inter-state border. On the night of May 10, miscreants burnt down a mud house of a tea estate in Tado Langso.
The miscreants also attacked two persons with sharp weapons resulting in injuries to the head of one Albert Engi. Albert is undergoing treatment at Hojai’s Ham Hospital. On April 17, alleged miscreants demolished the entry tax gate set up by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) at Khanduli.