Assam and Meghalaya have stepped up efforts to contain tensions following violence in Shillong, with Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma agreeing to work together to restore peace, trust and normalcy between the two neighbours.
Sangma also appealed to people in both states to maintain peace, harmony and restraint, stressing the longstanding ties between Assam and Meghalaya. Sangma said he spoke to Sarma over the violence that erupted in Meghalaya’s capital city during a Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) black-flag motorcycle rally on August 19 and the reactions that followed in Assam.
In a post on X, Sangma said the two chief ministers had agreed to work together “as always” to normalise the situation. He said designated ministers from Assam and Meghalaya would meet to take discussions forward and explore ways to restore “peace, trust and normalcy. “Meghalaya and Assam share deep bonds, and we must work together to protect them,” he said.
The outreach between the two chief ministers comes a day after the KSU black-flag motorcycle rally in Shillong escalated into violence, with several vehicles reportedly vandalised, people assaulted and public property damaged. Government vehicles were also reportedly set on fire.
Responding to the developments, Sarma said he had conveyed Assam’s concerns to Meghalaya’s chief minister over the recent incidents in Shillong, particularly those involving Assam-registered vehicles. Sarma said he had asked Assam Minister for Border Protection Atul Bora to coordinate closely with the authorities in Meghalaya and work towards ensuring that peace and normalcy prevail between the two states. Sarma described Assam and Meghalaya as “sister states”, bound by deep historical, cultural and people-to-people ties. He said mutual respect, restraint and sensitivity must guide the response to the situation. “We must do everything within our power to preserve the harmony, friendship and goodwill that have long defined the relationship between our people,” Sarma said.
