Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora’s attempt to raise the Assam-Mizoram border flare-up in Parliament was “disallowed” for the fifth time on Tuesday, a ruling the parliamentarian said reflected the Centre’s “apathy” towards “such a serious problem”.
Bora told The Telegraph from New Delhi that he had submitted a notice on Tuesday seeking suspension of business of the House under Rule 267 to discuss the inter-state border issue based on a statement by Union law minister Kiren Rijiju claiming “foreign forces” were “behind” the border clashes.
“Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naiduji disallowed the motion for discussion on the border issue in his ruling. No reason was cited,” he said.
“Today was the fifth time I had tried to raise the border issue. Today I had added the foreign hand point made by the minister (Rijiju). If this is so then it is a matter of national security and needs to be taken up with utmost priority. But my plea for discussion was disallowed.”
Bora said the issue has not been discussed in either House of Parliament even though the July 26 border flare-up led to the death of six Assam policemen and “war-like situation” between two states, fanning tension and disrupting life on both sides. This requires the “intervention” of Union home minister Amit Shah to prevent the situation from deteriorating further with “adverse” impact for the rest of the Northeast, he added.
The first-time MP said the development reflected the BJP-led central government’s “apathy” towards the sensitive border issue just like its “stand” on the Pegasus snooping controversy and the farmers’ protest.
Seeking a judicial probe into the circumstances leading to the exchange of fire between the police of two states and another probe into Rijiju’s foreign hand claim, Bora urged a discussion at the Prime Minister-level on the border issue involving all political parties in the region besides stakeholders.
After 16 BJP MPs from the Northeast met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the “unfortunate” border developments, Rijiju had said: “Mizoram and Assam are trying to sort things out... But Congress and some political parties are trying to add fuel to fire... inciting people. It has also come to light that desh se bahar... videsh se bhi kai cheez social media main unka interference, unka influence saamne aaya hai (It has come to light that some foreign elements are influencing and interfering in the issue). We are keeping an eye on them... why outside forces are trying to vitiate the sisterly relationship between the northeastern states by using the Assam-Mizoram border issue. We condemn such activities…”
Reacting to Rijiju’s statement, a Twitter user from Mizoram said: “This is a serious issue, if a group of BJP’s elected representatives made such an allegation, ‘foreign hand’ to smear Mizoram. I request the Centre @AmitShah @PIBHomeAffairs to initiate an inquiry to clear the issue or to nab the handler immediately...”
Though the situation remains calm along the inter-state border, the “unofficial” economic blockade on the Assam side since July 26 has not gone down well with people of Mizoram. Assam has denied imposing any blockade.
A day after Aizawl-based Mizoram Chemists and Druggists Association raised questions such as why the Centre wasn’t intervening to get the blockade lifted, the Mizoram Bar Association filed a PIL in the Aizawl bench of Gauhati High Court on Tuesday over the blockade on National Highway 306 that connects Mizoram with Assam through Lailapur in Cachar district. It said they filed the plea since they didn’t receive any response from the Centre and state governments over the blockade and also the hardship faced by the people of Mizoram.
Though Mizoram was trying to get supply of essential items from Tripura, a protest in Assam’s Karimganj disrupted movement of Mizoram-bound trucks on National Highway 8 on Monday.
Though the protest was withdrawn, many trucks are still stranded in all three Barak Valley districts of Assam.
