Rajnath writes to PM on Indo-Myanmar fencing

New Delhi: BJP president Rajnath Singh on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, drawing his immediate attention to boundary fencing on the Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur sector.
“The people of Myanmar are extremely sensitive on the issues of territorial integrity and territorial boundary. They continue to remain disgruntled for the loss of Kabaw valley to Burma. Under such circumstances erecting of the boundary fencing on the unsettled part of the international boundary line contrary to the known traditional boundary abandoning a huge stretch of land on the side of Myanmar has made the public armed and distrustful,” Mr Singh said in his letter to the Prime Minister.
He said knowing all the facts the people of Manipur have been raising protest movement against the present boundary; with “severe degree of tension” along the border.
Mr Singh said the BJP has come to the conclusion that this “atmosphere of distrust, apprehension and restiveness” in the minds of the people may be allayed only by the Centre by removing the ‘wrongly’ constructed four kms length boundary line fencing inside Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary of Moreh sector, Manipur and stopping the on-going boundary fencing immediately.
“Therefore, the BJP has reached to the conclusion that in the national interest, the Centre needs to immediately stop the fencing work. Re-demarcation of unsettled portion of boundary line following the traditional boundary/re-identification of the boundary pillars along the Manipur sector be conducted at the earliest,” he said.
The BJP chief said after the re-demarcation of acceptable boundary line and re-identification of boundary pillars, fencing to be constructed as per international convention, abandoning 10 meters each side from the boundary line of both the countries. Or the boundary fencing may be constructed accurately on the boundary line similar to what is done in case of Tripura sector of Indo-Bangladesh boundary line.
He also demanded constitution of a committee (jointly between MHA and State Home Department) to translate and describe the location of the border pillars and border landmark water divides, frontier streams and better protection of the international boundary along the state and for the bettering public confidence.
“I have written a letter to the Prime Minister drawing his immediate attention towards this boundary fencing on Indo-Myanmar border in Manipur sector,” Dr Singh had tweeted earlier.
He said “certain facts” pertaining to the ongoing border fencing work along side Myanmar in Manipur were brought to his notice by the state BJP unit.
“The ongoing border fencing work is creating resentment in Manipur as it leaves huge tract of land on Myanmar side which has been ours,” Dr Singh claimed.
He alleged that the boundary fencing work was neglecting India’s interests.
“The ongoing boundary fencing work seems to be neglecting our national and strategic interest and a surrender of our land to Myanmar,” the BJP chief added. (UNI)