Govt legitimising Bangladeshi encroachment of Indian land: BJP

New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Indian opposition party BJP
Saturday expressed concern over the India-Bangladesh land
boundary agreement signed rpt signed during Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka last month alleging
it amounted to legitimising transfer of land "illegally
occupied" by Bangaldesh and sought a discussion on it in
Parliament.
The BJP national executive discussed the issue and passed
a resolution against the agreement saying the Centre has
"legitimised Bangladeshi encroachment of Indian territory".
"There should be no transfer of Indian territory to
Bangladesh without all facts being placed on the table of
Parliament and a proper discussion and ratification of this
agreement be got done by it," said senior BJP leader Chandan
Mitra.
He said BJP had opposed the agreement with Bangladesh and
has demanded in its resolution that the 1,500-odd survey maps
that were exchanged between Bangladesh and India be made
public.
"The party has also demanded that all (strip) maps be
placed in public domain and a discussion be held in the next
session of Parliament and take the advice of Parliament before
deciding on the issue," he added.
The BJP leader charged that "in the name of rationalising
the borders, local interests have been severely compromised
with. The local population has been kept in the dark and
people of the area are very disturbed."
Mitra said BJP fact-finding teams that had visited the
area under the leadership of party's deputy leader in the
Upper House S S Ahluwalia and met the affected people on the
Bangladesh border with India found that the people were "very
disturbed as they were kept in the dark about the land
transfer".
"Some families have already started migrating to Indian
territories now and are demanding their land back or adequate
compensation in lieu thereof."
Mitra, who was part of one such fact-finding team, said
"the team found widespread confusion and anxiety prevailing
among the people because they had not been taken into
confidence."
The BJP resolution said the party pledges to fight for the
rights of people adversely impacted by the land boundary
agreement of September 6 and demands that government comes
clean before Parliament. PTI SKC
HMI