On wednesday The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Mizoram’s apex student body accused the Assam Government of breaching the status quo on the disputed land along the Mizoram-Assam border.

Lalnunmawia Pautu, general secretary of MZP alleged that a mosque, which was damaged in a blast triggered by unidentified miscreant(s) on May 24, 2019 at Zophai near Bairabi town, has been reconstructed by Assam. Apart from this he added, “A shop and a concrete building have also been constructed near the mosque.”

GS of the MZP Pautu also said, ‘’ On Tuesday we wrote to Chief Minister Zoramthanga, imploring him to take measures so that the newly-constructed structures are demolished.’’ In that letter it was also mentioned that, centre has directed both the State governments to maintain status quo in the Zophai area, which is a disputed land. While Mizoram did not erect any structure on the disputed land, the construction of a mosque, shop and building by Assam was regretful, the letter said.

The student body also blamed the Mizoram Government for its alleged failure to convene a meeting to discuss the border issue. A core committee involving the Mizoram Government, student bodies and other NGOs was formed by the State Government in April last year to oversee the border dispute. Pautu said that the meeting of the committee, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed.

Pautu said the meeting of the committee, which was scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed because the chief minister will grace a “meet the heroes” conference on that day. He also said the state government will soon call a meeting on the border issue. Though the both state Mizoram and assam claimed, Zophai along the Mizoram-Assam border is a disputed land. 

Border standoff took place in the area when MZP functionaries attempted to construct a resting shed there in March last year, which forced the Union ministry of home affairs to interfere in the matter.

At a secretary-level talks between Assam and Mizoram held in New Delhi in March last year, the Centre had directed both the state governments to maintain status quo on the disputed land. A joint committee was also constituted by both the governments under the Union home ministry then. The committee already carried out inspection of illegal structures in the inner line reserved forest area, which was suspended again following a dispute at zero point in Dholchera-Phaisen in April last year.