AGP accuses NBCC of handing over Indian land to Bangladesh

Guwahati, Oct 27 (UNI) Expressing concern over threat to national security through the porous borders of Bangladesh, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today accused the National Building Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) of handing over land along the Indo-Bangla border in the state to the neighbouring country for economic gain.

It further alleged that the Centre was busy with the Pakistan border and not giving adequate attention to the threat posed by the unabated infiltration of militants as well as civilians through the Bangladesh border. Addressing a press conference here, Assam's main Opposition party AGP's general secretaries Birendra Baishya, Hitendra Goswami and Dilip Saikia said the NBCC, a Central government undertaking responsibility for erecting border fence in phase III, has handed over a vast stretch of land to Bangladesh in Karimganj and Dhubri districts.

They informed that the Deputy Commissioners (DC) of the said districts had written to the Centre as well as state governments pointing out the issue but more than six months have elapsed without any action.

The AGP leaders also submitted memoranda to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister Sivraj Patil and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L K Advani today, regarding the allegations against the NBCC.

The Opposition leaders alleged that the NBCC was erecting fencing about 137 to 900 metre from the zero line along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the two districts and the local administration was also not consulted for alignment of the border.

With the river Kushiyara, which was accepted as the natural border, pushing its course inside Indian territory, fertile and cultivable land was being submerged on the Indian side while vast tracts of additional land were available on the other side, which the NBCC was not claiming as Indian territory.

The AGP leaders maintained that the Bangladesh security personnel were providing security for their farmers to carry out cultivation in these former river beds, while the Indian jawans do not take any such protective initiative for the farmers to reclaim their land across the river.

''Our farmers are being deprived of their land and the government is not doing anything about it, even after the DCs statements,'' they added.

They maintained that the government's lack of concern towards the Indo-Bangla border has emerged as a serious threat to national security and sovereignty as ISI, jehadi and other militants are using the border to enter the country unopposed.

They demanded that the erroneous border fencing should stop immediately and Dr Singh, who represents the state, should visit the border to get a first hand account.

However, fencing should not be abandoned at this pretext, they added.

The leaders also cautioned of another mass uprising if the issue regarding the Bangladesh border remain unattended.

UNI