Shillong, Sept 24: In some kind of a referendum, residents of 13 villages in Umthli area of the disputed Langpih region have vowed to remain in Meghalaya and refuted a report claiming that they want a merger with Assam.
People of the 13 villages under Hima Nongmynsaw Syiemshih converged at Umthli on Wednesday amid a report by an Assam-based news channel claiming that 95% of the residents of the area wanted to join Assam as part of the boundary settlement process.
The local leaders strongly refuted the report, saying that it did not reflect the actual sentiments of the people in the area.
According to the leaders, around 95% of residents want to remain in Meghalaya and have no intention of joining Assam.
The meeting was attended by members of the Executive Dorbar of Hima Nongmynsaw, village headmen, representatives of the FKJGP-Rimuliang Circle and other local stakeholders.
The 13 villages represented at the meeting included Mawdiangkob, Talimara, Umdiangsiar, Umdiangphiang, Umthli, Umkhamdol, Dariphang, Umbah, Ukiam, Borkhuli, Hasem, Warigro and Doledonga.
The local leaders said the public meeting was held to place on record the position of the people of the area and to counter what they described as an inaccurate portrayal of their views.
They reiterated that the people of the 13 villages want to remain in Meghalaya and urged that their views be duly considered in the ongoing process of resolving the inter-state boundary dispute.
