For the first time in the history of interstate border conflicts in India, gunfire has broken out between two neighbouring states which claimed precious lives and left multiple casualties on both sides. The Assam-Mizoram border row has been on top of the national headline for almost 4 days with no concrete solution or prospects for an effective solution from the Central Government. Is there something amiss behind the “who shot first?” and the "Assam vs Mizoram" narrative?
Assam- Mizoram Border row: A vicious cycle
The border conflict between Assam and Mizoram made national headlines in 2018 when a violent clash broke out between Assam Police and civilians from Mizoram regarding the construction of a shelter in the border area. A group of journalists from Mizoram also suffered severe physical injuries inflicted by the police.
Tensions flared up again last year in October 2020. It was a week- long clash where farm houses were burnt, casualties suffered on both sides. The heat died down after a month or so but the absence of substantial solution led to other minor clashes and stand offs between the local residents living in the border.
Then on 26 July 2021, the unthinkable happened. Assam police and Mizoram fired shots at each other which led to the unfortunate death of 5 police personnels from Assam and several casualties on Mizoram side. “India has a lot of interstate border issues but I have never seen or heard a firing between two states because of border conflicts” exclaimed Yashovardhan Azad, retired IPS officer and India’s central information commissioner, in a discussion with Faye D'Souza. “I can only say that never can a firing be allowed in situations like this, this would certainly call for a judicial enquiry because this isn’t allowed and I’ve never seen something like it” added the retired IPS officer and thinktank. In the same discussion, veteran journalist Javed Ansari stated that the border row is all about politics and vote banks.
After the 26th July incident, the chief secretaries and DGPs of both states were called by the Centre to New Delhi on 28 July, 2021. In a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, officials from Assam and Mizoram were advised to maintain peaceful relations between the two states.
This has become a regular yet peculiar pattern in almost all inter-state border conflicts: two states would engage in a conflict, the Centre would call them for a meeting in Delhi to settle the matter peacefully, press statements would be made and the matter would eventually get swept under the rug. Another flare up. Another clash. Another talk. Moreover, the big puzzle in all this mess is why the shooting between Assam and Mizoram took place right after the Union Home Minister sat down with the leaders of the North East states, a meeting where the border issue was one of the discussion topics.
Border conflict: A means to an end?
Few years ago, an agreement was made between Assam and Mizoram which stated that status quo should be maintained in the buffer zone in the border area. The buffer zone is meant to be a no man’s land guarded by the CRPF. Police force from both sides are restricted from entering this zone. In the recent violent clash between the two states, the Central police force have clearly failed their task to protect the buffer zone. What prompted a state in India to raise arms against the neighbouring state? Under whose motivation was the first shot fired? Why was the buffer zone breached while under the protection of the Central police force? These are the questions asked by political scientists and analysts. Mizoram accused Assam CM Himanta Biswa as the man who ordered the first shot, and Assam has summoned Mizoram officials to Dholai Police Station. But looking at it from a different angle, one cannot help but ask if a green signal has been given to stir up the hornet’s nest.
We have seen the controversial case of Jammu & Kashmir when the Indian government revoked the special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to J&K. Revoking Article 370 was a prominent point in the BJP’s 2019 election manifesto. When the party retained power in the general elections of April- May 2019, the Modi- shah government lost no time in acting on what was promised in the manifesto.
The controversial questions
Article 371 of the Indian Constitution grants special provisions for several states of the Indian Union among which five North east states Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are included. The main objective of granting these provisions is to meet the special needs of the states, to protect the socio- economic and cultural interests of these regions and to protect the customary laws of these regions. The big question that people ask in silent whispers is whether Article 371(G) is in danger of revocation or not. Four days have passed since the shooting between Assam and Mizoram, and controversial questions are beginning to crop up in discussions regarding the intention of the Central government in the matter.
Is the Modi-Shah government passively motivating this disruption of harmony in the North- East region? Looking at the long history of the struggle of both Assam and Mizoram and the tragic plight of the residents living in the border area, it is high time that the Union Government take the necessary action which will prove effective in settling the issue. After long years of conflict and aggression in the region, the people of the North East deserve more than just another press statement about peace talks and ineffective negotiations.
After all the loss of precious lives, blood spilled and violent clashes, now is the time for the Central government to intervene with a meaningful solution to the border issue. It is saddening to see the chief ministers of both states raging twitter war, and different officials from both sides giving their statements to the national media. The blame game has to stop. Different NGOs have issued statements, organized discussions and talks, and the public are engaged in a heated social media war which is quickly becoming a breeding ground for hate speech, discrimination and racism.
Controversial questions are gradually rising to the surface- Is there another agenda for creating havoc in the North East? What is interesting in this conflict which the Centre chose to remain silent about is that Mizoram is one of the few states in India where BJP is yet to have a firm footing after the BJP wave swept the North East region in the past few years.
Even after the loss of lives of dedicated policemen and the gradual shattering of peace and harmony in the North East region, is the Central government going to close off the matter with just another ‘peace talk’? What is the outcome envisioned by the leaders of the country? It is time that the border issue gets settled with legal documents, official data and experts in a manner which represents the just and democratic ideals on which the Indian Constitution is based upon.
