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The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unanimously passed a historic Bill, to operationalise a Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh that provides for exchange of territories to settle the 41-year border issue.
The Constitution (119th) Amendment Bill, which will allow operationalisation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary agreement, was passed with support from all the 181 members present. The Bill will be taken up by the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
"This is a historic situation. We are going to implement the agreement after 41 years. I am happy that everyone supported the Bill," said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, while moving the Bill for passage.
Talking about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s opposition to the measure during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)'s tenure, she said, "Earlier, we had opposed it. We asked to include Assam, which has been done." Contending the agreement would benefit both countries, she said the Union home ministry will be the nodal ministry for implementing it.
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"We are aware of the complexities involved in implementation of the agreement. The earlier we implement (the agreement), sooner we reap the benefits," she said.
The Bill aims at giving effect to the acquiring of territories by India and transfer of territories to Bangladesh, through retaining of adverse possession and exchange of enclaves in pursuance of the agreement of 1974. Territories in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya come under the ambit.
Saying the government will ensure Indians moving to Bangladesh would enjoy "dignified life", she said there would not be any "demographic change or exchange" and people from either side could avail citizenship if they wished.
Allaying fears of some members that the agreement might lead to shrinking of borders, Swaraj said, "This agreement will not shrink our borders. We will have an advantage of 500 acres. Though 10,000 acres will go to them, it is just notional and those enclaves are deep."
As far as Assam is concerned, India will be getting 470 acres from the neighbouring country, while 268 acres would go to Bangladesh, she added.
The Bill would require ratification of at least 50 per cent of state legislatures before it comes into effect.
It also provides that the central government could, by notification in the official gazette, appoint a date for acquisition and transfer of territories.
The Bill amends the First Schedule of the Constitution to give effect to an agreement entered into by India and Bangladesh on the acquiring and transfer of territories between the two countries on May 16, 1974.
The signing in 1974 was not ratified as it involved transfer of territory which required a Constitutional Amendment.
The Bill refers to demarcated land boundaries in accordance with the Agreement of 1974, which underwent further modification through letters exchanged thereafter and a protocol on September 6, 2011.
Explaining the reason for BJP's protest to the Bill along with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Trinamool Congress in December 2013 when the UPA government had brought it before the House, Swaraj said AGP and BJP felt Assam was neglected when the agreement was signed while Trinamool Congress also felt it was not consulted.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had then also argued that West Bengal would get only about 7,000 acres, it will have to give up nearly 17,000 acres of land to Bangladesh and this cannot be accepted without taking consent of the people who live in the transferable areas. Sushma said when the National Democratic Alliance government came to power, the Bill was referred to a standing committee chaired by Shashi Tharoor of the Congress, which gave its report on December 1, 2014.
WHAT THE BILL OFFERS
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The Bill aims at giving effect to the acquiring of territories by India and tranfer of territories to Bangladesh through retaining of adverse possession and exchange of enclaves in pursuance of the agreement of 1974
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The territories in Assam, West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya come under the ambit of the Bill
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The government will ensure Indians moving to Bangladesh would enjoy "dignified life". There would not be any "demographic change or exchange" and people from either side can avail citizenship if they wish
- As far as Assam is concerned, India will be getting 470 acres of land from the neighbouring country, while 268 acres would go to Bangladesh
