Guwahati/Shillong, August 21: In a swift diplomatic outreach aimed at defusing rising inter-state tensions, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma held talks on Thursday and agreed to work together to restore peace and normalcy following violence during a students’ rally in Shillong.
The discussions came a day after a black-flag bike rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in the Meghalaya capital on August 19 turned violent. According to East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, at least 31 vehicles — many of them Assam-registered — were damaged, two vehicles were set ablaze, and 16 people were injured. Reports also mentioned stone-pelting, assaults on pedestrians and motorists, and vandalism of public property, including statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Fifteen FIRs have been registered, and three senior KSU leaders, including the union’s president, were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
The incidents triggered strong reactions in Assam. Commercial vehicle drivers and transport operators blocked roads at key border points such as Jorabat and Khanapara, disrupting the movement of Meghalaya-bound traffic and demanding safety guarantees for Assam residents travelling to the neighbouring state.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said he had spoken with Sarma about the “unfortunate violence” in Shillong and the subsequent reactions that affected ordinary people and commuters in both states. “We have agreed to work together, as always, to normalise the situation. Designated Cabinet Ministers from both states will meet to take the discussions forward and explore ways to restore peace, trust and normalcy,” Sangma stated. He appealed to citizens of both states to maintain peace, harmony and restraint, emphasising that “Meghalaya and Assam share deep bonds, and we must work together to protect them.”
Responding to the outreach, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that he had conveyed Assam’s concerns, particularly regarding attacks on Assam-registered vehicles. “Hon’ble Minister for Border Protection Shri Atul Bora has been asked to coordinate closely with the authorities in Meghalaya and work towards ensuring that peace and normalcy prevail between our two States,” Sarma posted. Describing the two states as “sister States” bound by deep historical, cultural and people-to-people ties, he stressed that “mutual respect, restraint and sensitivity must guide us at all times.”
Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora later welcomed the Chief Minister’s intervention and affirmed that he would closely coordinate with Meghalaya authorities as directed. The Centre has also approved the deployment of five companies of central forces in Meghalaya until August 25 to assist the state police in maintaining law and order.
The coordinated response by the two chief ministers is being viewed as a constructive step to prevent the situation from escalating further and to restore free movement and mutual trust along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
