'Assam is our elder brother': Arunachal minister Mama Natung calls for harmony amid border dispute

Arunachal Pradesh Home and Border Affairs Minister Mama Natung on July 26 said the state government remains committed to resolving the long-pending interstate boundary dispute with Assam through dialogue, while urging people living along the border to maintain peace and brotherhood.

Addressing the issue of the Papum Pare-Assam boundary, Natung described Assam as the "elder brother" and the other Northeastern states as "younger brothers", stressing that harmonious relations between neighbouring states are essential.

Quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's famous remark, Natung said, "We can change friends but not neighbours," adding that neighbours should live with mutual respect and harmony.

The minister also referred to the historical background of the dispute, including the 1951 notification linked to Gopinath Bordoloi, the Chatterjee Committee report and the Namsai Declaration, while thanking Union Home Minister Amit Shah for taking a keen interest in resolving interstate boundary disputes in the Northeast.

Natung said the matter remains sub judice, but noted that both the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments are continuing efforts to settle disputes concerning several villages through mutual discussions.

"I urge the denizens to maintain brotherhood," he said.

His remarks came during a high-level consultative meeting with senior government officials and student leaders to review the law and order situation and security concerns along the Tarasso border following the recent friction at Sango village.

Participants at the meeting stressed that the Sango-Tarasso tension and other boundary-related issues should be resolved through bilateral talks with the Assam government rather than through escalation.

A formal joint meeting between officials of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh is expected to be held soon as part of efforts to reach a lasting settlement of the boundary dispute.

The Arunachal Pradesh government also appealed to local communities and all stakeholders to maintain peace, exercise restraint and uphold the status quo along the interstate border until a mutually acceptable resolution is reached.