Scuffle in RS over land boundary bill

High drama was witnessed in the Rajya Sabha today when the government moved to introduce a crucial bill providing for transfer of certain territories to Bangladesh, with AGP members scuttling it by trying to snatch its copy leading to a scuffle.

The drama unfolded when External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid rose to move The Constitution (119th) Amendment Bill, 2013, in the midst of din caused by BJP over coal block allocation and bribery allegations in the railway ministry.

AGP members Kumar Deepak Das and Birendra Kumar Baishya raised slogans carrying placards against the Bill and rushed towards Khurshid in a bid to snatch a copy of it from him.

Das and Baishya were prevented by some Congress members, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajiv Shukla, from snatching the Bill. In the midst of this, Khurshid sat down without the process of introduction of the Bill being completed.

Amid the uproar, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien adjourned the House till 2 PM.

The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to give effect to the acquiring of territories by India and transfer of certain territories to Bangladesh in pursuance of the agreement between the two countries signed over a year ago.

AGP members later told reporters that they were opposing the Bill fearing it would lead to a secessionist movement in the state which was not in the country's interest.

Baishya said this was not an issue of Assam but that of the sovereignty of the nation.

"They cannot play politics with it. Centre has signed a pact with Bangladesh which is not known to Assam people. They are doing it for their political interest. This is not in the interest of Assam. Because we are losing huge area of Assam to Bangladesh, we are not supporting it."