Boko: Gorkha organisations accused Assam minister Atul Bora of lying and said that he made false claims that the residents of Lumpi in Boko district wanted to join Meghalaya.
In a press conference, the Kamrup Zilla Gorkha Kalyan Samiti and Gorkha Students’ Union (GSU), Lumpi regional Unit, reacted sharply to Assam minister Atul Bora’s speech in Assam Legislative Assembly Autumn Session recently, where he referred to his visit to Lumpi. Atul Bora is the chairman of the cabinet sub-committee for the long pending inter-state border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya.
The organisations alleged that Minister Atul Bora and other members of the cabinet sub-committee visited some villages on November 12, 2021, along the Assam- Meghalaya border. This included Upper Tarabari, Gamerimura etc., located about 40 km from the Lumpi area. However, Atul Bora said that the Lumpi people wanted to be part of the state of Meghalaya.
The Gorkha organisations questioned how Atul Bora could make such a claim when he did not visit the Lumpi area.
Dulal Rana, President of Kamrup Zilla Gorkha Kalyan Samiti, said, “Most of the people living in the Lumpi area belong to the Gorkha community and the Gorkha community never wanted to be a part of Meghalaya. We have proof that the Gorkha community supports Assam, despite little development in the area by the Assam state government. But we are shocked that our minister Atul Bora said in his speech that Lumpi’s people wanted to be part of Meghalaya.”
“Many Gorkha organisations recently met Atul Bora on September 10, 2022, and we gave our opinion that people of the Lumpi area always support Assam and we will live in Assam. So now we request minister Atul Bora and the cabinet sub-committee to visit the Lumpi area and take public opinion so that everyone will understand the verdict of the people of the Lumpi area,” Rana added during the press meet.
Sambhu Chetry, Secretary of GSU, Lumpi regional unit, said, “We people living in the Lumpi area never accept that we want to be part of Meghalaya. We Gorkha people live together with the Garo and Khasi community. The Garo community in the Lumpi area also shout that they are staying in Assam. The state government might be trying to play politics with us. But we Gorkha people know how to protect our land, and we will never accept it.”
Bikash Chetry, President, GSU Lumpi regional Unit, said, “Lumpi area might be a border dispute, but Lumpi has lots of tourist potential as it is also a part of Assam state. Lumpi has schools which are functioning since the British time. If the Assam government hands over Lumpi to Meghalaya, we Gorkha people will not sit peacefully. Minister Atul Bora should give his clarification when people of the Lumpi area are told that they want to be part of Meghalaya.”
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