'Centre only acts as facilitator for settlement': MoS Home Nityanand Rai on inter-state disputes

By Amit Kumar
New Delhi [India], July 27 : Amid border dispute between Assam-Mizoram, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Tuesday informed the Parliament that the government only acts as a facilitator for amicable settlement of an inter-state dispute.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Rai said that nine states and one Union territory have borders dispute and such disputes lead to occasional protests and incidents of violence are reported from some of the disputed border areas.
As per available information, Rai said that there are boundary disputes arising out of the demarcation of boundaries and claims and counter-claims over territories between Haryana-Himachal Pradesh, UT of Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra-Karnataka, Assam-Arunachala Pradesh, Assam-Nagaland, Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Mizoram.
He also said that these can be resolved with the cooperation of the state governments concerned.
"The approach of the Central Government has consistently been that inter-state disputes can be resolved only with the cooperation of the states. Governments concerned and that the Central Government acts only as a facilitator for amicable settlement of the dispute in the spirit of mutual understanding," the MoS Home told Lok Sabha in a written reply of BSP MP Haji Fazlur Rehman.
On Monday, the border dispute between Assam-Mizoram has resulted in the death of five Assam police personnel and more than 50 injured in this incident has become a big concern for the Central Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs taking all measures to control the current situation.