Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was the chief guest of Arunachal’s Statehood Day celebration in Yupia, announced that efforts to resolve the Assam-Arunachal boundary row have been initiated. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu was also present on the occasion. The announcement comes even as the boundary disputes between the two states continue to cause tension. Recently, the Assam Police stopped the construction of the PMGSY road at Hime village in Lower Siang district. It caused much tension in the area.
On several occasions, the chief ministers of both Arunachal and Assam have spoken about resolving the long-pending boundary dispute out of court through mutual agreement. The matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court of India. Even though top political bosses seem to be sincere about working out a solution, the situation on the ground is quite different. Especially the Assam officials and citizens living near the interstate boundaries continue to be very hostile towards Arunachal Pradesh. The Assam government should, first of all, create a conducive atmosphere, so that dialogue between two the states over the interstate boundary disputes can resume. As long as the hostility persists, a peaceful resolution to the boundary disputes cannot be achieved.