SHILLONG : Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Prestone Tynsong has assured that he will take up the grievances of residents living along the Meghalaya-Assam border in West Khasi Hills with his Assam counterpart.
Tynsong gave the assurance to Independent MDC from Rambrai, Lurshai Kharbani, who met him on Wednesday along with residents of Noapara and other border villages.
Kharbani said residents of Kampaduli, Noapara and Bangjen have complained that officials from Assam have been frequently visiting their villages and allegedly pressuring them to enrol in the Assam census.
“People from Assam are coming and trying to disturb our people in the border area. They are forcing our people to enrol in the Assam census, but our people have already done it under the Government of Meghalaya. Why should they do it twice?” Kharbani said.
He said the villagers had already apprised the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of West Khasi Hills about the issue.
Kharbani also urged the Meghalaya Government to establish a temporary police camp in the affected border area to strengthen the security of residents.
“By having a temporary camp we will get more peace and security from outside forces. We have demanded that more police force be deployed to protect the villagers,” he said.
According to the Rambrai MDC, the Home Minister assured him that he would speak to the Chief Secretary of Assam to resolve the matter.
Tynsong also assured that steps would be taken to establish the temporary police camp in the area at the earliest, Kharbani said.
The MDC added that similar attempts by Assam officials to conduct census-related activities in the border villages had been reported the previous week, but were opposed by the residents.