Amit Shah asked about step taken by the state governments to defuse tension, sources said (File)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday had separate telephonic conversations with the Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram to resolve the stalemate between the two states over an inter-state border dispute.
Tension has simmered in the border areas since Saturday after clashes between residents of the neighbouring states. The ground-level talks between the two states failed on Tuesday. Mizoram had said that it would import essentials from abroad if the blockade of trucks carrying supplies in Assam was not eased. Assam had demanded that Mizoram withdrew its forces from its territory.
Mizoram, on Wednesday, decided to pull back its forces from the Assam border to an extent following the intervention of senior officials from the central government.
According to sources, Mr Shah asked about the steps taken by the state governments to defuse tension and said that the Union Home Ministry has initiated measures for maintaining peace at the Assam-Mizoram border.
During his interaction with the Home Minister, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed him that a senior-level government officials' discussion to address the border issue has already begun.
He also informed Mr Shah that Mizoram CM Zoramthanga, during a telephonic talk earlier, assured to take positive steps for bolstering peace at the border and strengthening brotherhood among the people.
On Wednesday, the joint secretary to the union home ministry (North East), Satyendra Garg held discussions with the home secretaries of both the states at Silchar.
During the talks, all border-related issues and the steps required to maintain peace and law and order were discussed, a spokesperson said.
Mr Sonowal has directed the authorities concerned to ensure seamless movement of trucks and other vehicles through the inter-state border to Mizoram.
The violence prompted the Chief Ministers of the two states to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Ministry, which called on them to work together and sort out their problems.