Guwahati: One of the first requests from Assam that have been sent out to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government is the Centre is to scrap the land swap deal that the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh signed with his Bangladesh counterpart Seikh Hasina in September 6, 2013 triggering sharp protests in the state.
The regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) which has been protesting against the land swap deal has called upon the new government in the Centre to trash the land swap pact that provides for handing over a portion of Assam’s land to Bangladesh.
The working president of the AGP Atul Bora said besides scrapping the land swap deal with Bangladesh, the new Prime Minister Narendra Modi who promised to effectively resolve the problem of illegal migration from Bangladesh to Assam, should try translating what he pledged to reality.
“When Assam has been facing a silent demographic invasion from Bangladesh, we should not part with even an inch of our land,” said AGP leader.
Meanwhile, Assam State BJP general secretary Santanu Bharali said since the BJP had opposed the land swap deal, the Bill would never get enacted with the BJP coming to power in the Centre with such an overwhelming mandate.
There are as many as 25 points along the 4,156-km boundary, of which India adversely possesses 1,165.49 acres of Bangladesh land, while Bangladesh possesses 1,880.81 acres on the Indian side.
According to data available, Bangladesh is in adverse possession of 665 acres of land in the Assam sector. This includes about 160 acres in Dhubri district, and two plots of 360 acres and 145 acres in Karimganj district.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi clarified that as per the land pact Bangladesh would get 193 acres of adversely possessed land at Boroibari in Mankachar sector of Dhubri district and 74.5 acres land at 455 acre Pallathat Tea Estate in Karimganj district. “The Government of India has rejected Bangladesh’s claim over 145 acres of adversely possessed land at Naygaon in Karimganj district and they have accepted it,” Gogoi said.
“In case of 714 acres unmarked area in Latitila-Dumabari in Karimganj district, dispute has been resolved regarding over 3 kilometer stretch of unfenced border and now Bangladesh will get only 90 acres of the area. Twenty-five India families were holding land in that area, but they left during 1965 Pakistan was (during East Pakistan days) and they don’t want to go back and wan compensation,” Gogoi said.
