Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has defended the role of central government with regard to the clashes on the Assam and Nagaland border. He has said that central government will provide all the necessary assistance, but the onus is on the states to resolve the matter.
Rijiju said, "Whatever has happened in Assam is because of the problem in Assam Nagaland border. The Assam Government and the Nagaland Government should sit together and resolve the problem."
He said, "We have sent forces from the centre only when they were unable to resolve the issue by themselves and because of which the clashes broke out resulting in some deaths. After the deaths, there was a reaction in Assam and nine police personnel form Nagaland police were held captive for four days in Golaghat near the Assam-Nagaland border. We have sent forces and all of them have been freed."
He further said, "As far as border dispute is concerned, the onus is on the states to resolve the matter, we can only provide them assistance."
About the firing issue he said that it is not right to blame the centre or Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) because law and order is a state subject. Centre sends forces, it is up to the state governments to regulate them.
Previously, Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland, Tarun Gogoi and T R Zeliang had reportedly sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's help to resolve their border-related issues.
The reported appeal has come when Gogoi's convoy was reportedly attacked in the Golaghat area near the Assam-Nagaland border, prompting local police to fire in the air and launch a baton charge to disperse the protesters.