Tension is brewing up in the small border town of Merapani, along the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat district over the alleged encroachment of 250 Bighas of arable land of Gorbasti area by Nagaland. The Naga people being backed by Naga Armed Police batallion and Naga Govt. officialas even prevented Assamese villagers from ploughing in the land. The CRPF battalion stationed at Merapani area as the Neutral Force fails to maintain their neutrality. Various local bodies have stared indefinite economic blocakde against Nagaland in Merapnai. During the ongoing economic blockade the role of CRPF came under scanner when they escorted a group of Naga traders to the weekly bazar held at Kolajan in Merapnai. When the Assamese vilagers proested about Naga traders being escorted by CRPF personnels the CRPF personnels taking Nagalnad’s side said that it was Assamese people who have encroached upon Nagaland’s land. Following this the situation become tense in the arae and normalcy was restored when the Sector Officer of CRPF and OC of Merapani Police visited the spot.
On the other hand when the Commissioner of Upper Assam came to visit Merapani to take stock of the situation he admitted of the partiality of the CRPF personnels. People compalined him about seetting up of Naga Armed Police Camp at Valeuguri and Mikirang Basti and demanded setting up of Assam Police Battalion camps at Sarupani, Seedfirm and Torani in order to protect the life and property of Assamese peoplr living in the border area.
The Golaghat Dist unit All Assam Students Union also staged a dharna infront of the office of the Deputy Commissioner Golaghat and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam demanding the clearing of encroachement of 250 Bighas of land, setting up of Assam Police Battalion Camp and appointment of permanent Border Magistrate in Merapani area. The AASU activists also burnt down the effigies of State PWD Minister and Local MLA Ajanta Neog, Border Welfare Minister Siddque Ahmed and CM Tarun Gogoi.
Meanwhile activists of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and All Tea Tribes Students’ Union have blocked National Highway-39 at Rangajan in Golaghat and started an indefinite economic blockade against Nagaland to protest against alleged encroachment of land.
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