Include Assam in India-Bangladesh land protocol: Gogoi urges Modi

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include the state in the protocol signed between the governments of India and Bangladesh on September 6, 2011.

In a letter to Modi, Gogoi expressed surprise at the reported decision of the central government not to include clauses relating to Assam in the protocol ratified by parliament without any consultation with the state government.

"We are completely in the dark about the reasons behind this turnaround and how the interests of the people of Assam are going to be protected by the exclusion of the clauses relating to Assam during the process of ratification by parliament.

"This decision is also against the principles of cooperative federalism which you have been advocating," he said.

Gogoi pointed out that the provision of the protocol was an integral part of the 1974 agreement between the governments of India and Bangladesh.

"As a result of the protocol, the Radcliff Line demarcating the 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," Gogoi said.

As a result of the re-demarcation, approximately 714 acres of land area in Lathitilla area will formally become part of India (state of Assam) and an area of 193.85 acres of land in Kalabari (Boroibari) and 74.55 acres of land in Pallathal area will formally go to Bangladesh.

"These 268.4 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 Radcliff Line," Gogoi said.

Reminding Modi about his statement during his visit to Assam in November 2014 that the 2011 protocol to the 1974 boundary agreement would benefit Assam in the long run, Gogoi said the agreement, if ratified along with the clauses relating to Assam, would not only lead to a permanent solution to the long standing border dispute but also facilitate demarcation of un-demarcated areas in Lathitilla-Dumabari.

"Construction of border fencing will also prevent illegal infiltration of foreigners and subversive elements, smuggling, etc. by sealing the porous border," he added.

Gogoi requested Modi to initiate steps for ratification of the protocol by parliament by including the clauses relating to Assam.