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| Assam BJP leaders present a memento to Modi on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos |
Guwahati, Nov. 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India and Assam’s interests would be protected while dealing with the sensitive India-Bangladesh land-swap deal.
Though Modi did not categorically spell out his views on the deal, he dropped broad hints about his government being in favour of the pact, which was opposed by the state unit of the BJP, the AGP and the AASU, among others, when the UPA-II government tried to get it ratified last year.
“I came before the Lok Sabha polls and gave certain assurances. I am telling you again that the government in Delhi is committed to solving your problems and would respect your sentiments. On the land-swap deal also, I will keep the interests of the country in mind and move ahead. I will also keep the interests of Assam in mind. Whatever we will do may appear to be a loss in the short term but ultimately will do things which will only benefit Assam in the long run. I have come to assure the people of Assam on this,” Modi said at a massive BJP workers’ rally held here this afternoon. Modi was on a two-day visit to the state since yesterday, his first as Prime Minister.
He had campaigned extensively in Assam during the Lok Sabha polls and used today’s rally to thank party workers for the good showing in the polls and exhorted them to work with the same zeal in the future. The BJP had won seven of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, its best showing till date, at the cost of the ruling Congress.
The other sensitive issue Modi touched upon during his speech was the influx of Bangladeshis. “We will close all routes through which they come to Assam. You believe my words. I am saying it with full responsibility. I will see to it that no harm comes to Assam,” Modi said, while exhorting party workers and leaders to work hard to boost the ongoing membership drive, which will end in March.
Party insiders said Modi’s speech had to be cut short because of time constraints.
Modi’s views apparently did not enthuse a section of state BJP leaders/workers who had expected something more concrete from him on the state’s problems. They were also worried about attacks by political rivals on Modi’s views.
The BJP state unit had strongly opposed the land-swap deal inked by the erstwhile UPA-II government and had even made it an issue in the last Lok Sabha elections, saying the party would not allow even an inch of Assam land to be given away.
“Modiji only gave general assurances of solving the problems of Assam. He has not made his mind clear on the sensitive land-swap deal issue but the ‘short-term loss’ bit is enough to trigger a storm. He has left behind a massive problem. We will have a tough time dealing with the land deal issue. There was nothing on influx either. A time-bound plan to rid Assam of influx would have been great,” a senior leader said, articulating the concerns of the state unit.
Another leader, quoting a RSS pracharak sitting next to him, said the speech “lacked” substance. “We are focussing on our membership drive but how will our members motivate others without any clear-cut agenda?” he asked.
Even before Modi left for Imphal, the Congress, the AASU and the AGP pounced on the BJP on his views on the land deal.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi told The Telegraph, “I will react tomorrow.”
Like Modi, Gogoi had also tried to sell the deal as one beneficial to Assam. He had promised that the state’s security would never be compromised and that Assam would be able to fence off the India-Bangladesh border, if the deal was ratified. Unlike Gogoi, his party colleagues were only too eager to cash in on the opportunity provided by Modi to call the BJP’s bluff.
AICC secretary Bhupen Kumar Borah said today’s developments reflect the BJP’s double standards — be it influx or big dam or the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Assam PCC chief spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora said his party’s stand on the deal had been vindicated. “Modi’s statement shows that the BJP only misled people for political benefits. They only spread lies to win elections.”
AASU president Shankar Prasad Ray said not an inch of land of India and Assam should be given away or they would launch an agitation.
“Last evening, during our meeting with him (Modi), he assured us that he would look into the problems such as NRC update, influx and floods, but asked us to give him some time. Now he takes a U-turn. We request him to review any decision in favour of the deal, which should be scrapped,” Ray said.
Founding AGP president and MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta tweeted, asking the Centre to clear its stand on the land deal as well as matters related to issuing visas to Bangladeshis.
The rally was also used to sound the poll bugle for the 2016 Assembly polls where the BJP has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling Congress along with the AIUDF.
Senior leaders who spoke before Modi called on party workers to work towards voting out the Congress.
Modi also said in his speech, “The BJP doesn’t do politics of casteism, communalism or regionalism. We believe in the politics of nationalism, development.”
INDO-BANGLA BOUNDARY AGREEMENT CONUNDRUM
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| Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses BJP workers at Sarusajai stadium on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos n See Metro |
• The India-Bangladesh land-swap deal was signed in 2011 between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina but was opposed in Assam and Bengal
• Assam will get 397.50 acres of land from Bangladesh, while it has to part with 267.5 acres. Overall, India will part with 111 enclaves (17,160 acres) to Bangladesh and receive 51 enclaves (7,110 acres)
• States to be affected: Assam, Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura
Bill status
• The UPA-II government had introduced the amendment bill in December 2013 to facilitate land-swap deal amid strong protests by Trinamul Congress and the AGP
• The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill, 2013, was subsequently referred to the standing committee on external affairs, headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor
• The panel has reportedly unanimously approved the bill, while recommending that interests of the states be kept in mind
• The bill is likely to be tabled in the ongoing session of Parliament sometime next week
Other highlights
• There was nothing on issues like NRC update, flood and erosion, big dams, ST status and talks with outfits though Modi said commitments made during the Lok Sabha poll campaign will be kept
• It was a full house (about 35,000) at the stadium but the crowd started thinning four minutes into Modi’s 20-minute speech. Most attributed it to his appeal to party workers to leave in a disciplined manner and not to leave behind any litter
• Focus on membership drive
• Leaders exhorted workers to get ready to throw out the Congress in the 2016 Assembly polls
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