Assam government’s crackdown links Mizoram with narcotics smuggling and new cattle bill.
Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)-led Assam government’s crackdown on narcotics smuggling and the new law restricting cattle transportation through its territory triggers “non-state actors” in Mizoram to trigger a flare-up.
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Assam chief minister’s take on the flare-up
Following the flare-up in Mizoram where five cops were killed, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, “The drug route originates in Myanmar and travels through Mizoram and Assam’s Barak Valley to Punjab,” urges his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga to probe, “how could civilians in battle fatigues and bulletproof vests, turn up at the border to attack our policemen with sniper rifles. I have video evidence. I think it should be investigated whether certain vested non-state actors entered the fray.”
“I have strong reasons to suspect that some decisions by the Assam government in the last two months angered non-state elements in Mizoram,” Sarma added that the state’s refusal to provide sanctuary to a section of Myanmarese refugees entering Mizoram might be one of the peeve points.
Possibility of links between new cow protection law and border violence
According to Sarma, the mentioned “rumors” about Assam targeting beef supply to the rest of the region might have led to resentment in a predominantly Christian state like Mizoram. He assures that there was nothing in the action against them.
Conclusively, Sarma assures that Assam will never retaliate to endanger the lives of civilians through retaliation.
