Need to review 1972 Nagaland and Assam border pact: Thomas

Taking serious note of the ongoing tension along Karbi Anglong and Nagaland border areas, newly sworn-in parliamentary secretary for Border Affairs and Women Development Thomas Lotha Friday said that there was a need to review the 1972 agreement between Assam and Nagaland. 
In an interaction with media persons at his residence, Thomas said that the 1972 agreement was not implemented in toto and the same was not acceptable to the Nagas. 
He said the agreement rather became a tool for the Assam government to strengthen their forces along the border while Nagaland was relegated to a “helpless position” as the state had to oblige to the terms of the agreement.
Fresh agreement should be made that would be accepted by both the state, the parliamentary secretary said.
Thomas, a former Congressmen who won the last assembly election as an Independent candidate, said that there was no need to place the disputed area under the neutral forces. “We need neural forces but so far the neutral forces have been one-sided,” he said.
Thomas also pointed out that the border issue was not confined to Assam and Nagaland only but also with other tribal states bordering Assam. 
There was a need to discuss the “common border issue” and take the issue to a higher level, he added.  
The parliamentary secretary said that his department would take up the issue by inviting the opinions of the other tribal states bordering Assam. 
Thomas also assured that he remained committed to safeguarding the people living in border areas. 
Thomas said that the village councils would be empowered to issue land patta in the border areas under Article 371 (A) by paying “nominal tax” to the government. 
Thomas Lotha said a coordination meeting with the district administration, forest department and land revenue would be held to work out a formula on authorizing the village council to issue land patta. 
Once the patta holders begin paying nominal tax to the government, it would compel the government to protect the land. 
Thomas Lotha said that forest land would also be demarcated by the forest department and added that the policy would be implemented keeping in mind the national perspective. 

Nagaland Post