Shad Behdeinkhlam invite triggers row; Meghalaya's VPP objects to Assam CM as chief guest

Meghalaya opposition party Voice of the People Party (VPP) on July 9 extended warm greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of Shad Behdeinkhlam, while expressing strong reservations over the invitation extended to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Guest for the festival.

In a statement issued by VPP spokesperson Dr. A.W. Rani, the party wished that the annual festival would continue to promote peace, unity and communal harmony among the people of Meghalaya.

"The VPP extends its warm greetings to everyone celebrating Shad Behdeinkhlam. May this sacred festival bring peace, unity and prosperity to our people," Dr. Rani said.

However, the party said it would have appreciated if the organisers had refrained from inviting the Assam Chief Minister to the celebration.

"The VPP would have been more grateful to the organisers had they avoided inviting Mr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chief Guest for the occasion," the statement said.

Referring to the long-standing border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya, the VPP alleged that Sarma has contributed to creating a sense of insecurity among residents living in the border areas.

The party maintained that Shad Behdeinkhlam is a festival that represents Meghalaya's rich cultural heritage, identity and unity, and expressed hope that it would continue to reflect the sentiments and aspirations of the people of the state.

The statement comes amid the continuing efforts by Assam and Meghalaya to resolve their long-pending boundary dispute, which involves 12 stretches along the 884-km inter-state border. In March 2022, both states signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering the first phase of settlement in six disputed areas, while discussions on the remaining sectors are continuing.

On May 29, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Assam and Meghalaya had agreed to expedite the ongoing boundary demarcation process to arrive at a lasting solution to the decades-old inter-state border issue following discussions with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in Guwahati.