PTI
GUWAHATI, MAY 4
Continuing his tirade against the Centre, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi of practising "double standards for narrow political gain" by proposing to exclude the state from the purview of the land swap deal with Bangladesh."The Prime Minister had last year said here that the agreement is good for Assam. Now why are you excluding it? You have one stand before poll and another after. It is double standard for narrow political gains," Gogoi said at a press conference here.
The Congress leader asserted the Centre should have consulted the state before proposing any change to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA), popularly known as land swap deal.
"He (Modi) talks of cooperative federalism. But what kind of federalism is this where the CM concerned is not consulted at all? Our stand has remained the same all along. We still think that this is good for Assam and it will help in stopping infiltration from Bangladesh," Gogoi said.
On November 30 last year, Modi had said at a party workers' rally here that the Centre would go ahead with the LBA with Bangladesh for a permanent solution of infiltration issue keeping in mind the welfare of Assam.
"I know Assam's problems. I assure you all that there will be no compromise on Assam's security. Land swapping will be done for a permanent solution. I know the sentiment of Assamese people regarding land swapping deal. I assure you, we will move ahead considering India and Assam's welfare," Modi had said.
"Assam will gain in long term even if it looks like losing in short term," he said then.
Last week, a senior government functionary in New Delhi had said that since the issue of land swap under LBA with Bangladesh has evoked "emotional reaction" in Assam, the Bill will not include any land pertaining to the state but will comprise land from West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya.
The BJP unit in Assam has opposed the exchange of enclaves between Bangladesh and India involving the territory of Assam.
The party now wants to exclude Assam due to sensitivities in the state, where BJP aspires to come to power in Assembly polls due early next year.
Assam government has been maintaining that the provisions of the protocol are an integral part of the 1974 agreement between India and Bangladesh.
According to the protocol, the Radcliffe Line demarcating India-Bangladesh border in the Assam sector namely, Lathitilla -Dumabari sector in Karimganj district, Kalabari (Boroibari) area in Dhubri district and the Pallathal area in Karimganj district of Assam will be re-drawn as agreed to in the protocol.
As a result of the re-demarcation proposed in the LBA, approximately 714 acres of land in Lathitilla area will formally become part of Assam in India and 193. 85 acres of land in Kalabari (Boroibari) and 74.55 acres in Pallathal will formally go to Bangladesh. These 268.40 acres of land are already under adverse possession of Bangladesh.
Therefore, India (Assam) will formally get a net land area of 445.6 acres with reference to the Radcliffe Line.
PTI
GUWAHATI, MAY 4
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday said frequent visits by Union ministers to the state and North-East are bringing only "big promises".
"The central ministers are visiting Assam and other North- East states very frequently. They are making big promises. But we are not getting anything on practise," Gogoi told reporters here.
As most of the North Eastern states are having non-BJP governments, the NDA-led Centre is trying to capture power in the region, he said.
Asked if the visits are meaningless, Gogoi said, "I will not term it meaningless. If I get money, it will be meaningful."
Giving examples, the Chief Minister said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who visited North East last week, announced and took credit of only those projects which were sanctioned by the previous UPA government. "Gadkari also said he created toll gates in Maharashtra and earned revenue for development. This is market economy. This is possible in Maharashtra, Gujarat or Delhi, but not in Assam or North East. We are poor state," he added.
Gogoi said there are two toll gates on National Highways in Assam, of which one is already closed and another will be shut after the lease with the current operator ends in August.
"The Railway Minister also came and made big promises. What happened? Nothing has started on ground," he added.
Gogoi accused the Centre of promoting big corporates by making schemes for their profit. He slammed Gadkari for his proposal that state government should acquire land for development of road projects in the state by the Central agencies.
"He (Gadkari) asked me to pay for acquisition and then they will develop roads. Where will I get the money from? How is it possible?" Gogoi asked.
