By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Reacting strongly over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement over the Land Swap Deal with Bangladesh, political parties and other organizations in the state have termed the Prime Minister nothing short of ‘enemy of Assam’.
In the forefront is Assam’s prime regional party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which has already termed Narendra Modi’s state visit as a curse. Modi visited Assam and other northeastern states for over a week recently.
Activists of Asom Yuba Parishad burn the effigy of PM Narendra Modi in Guwahati protesting his green signal for land swap deal
“Modi has proved himself to be a good actor rather than a leader. We are extremely shocked at his visit, which has given the state nothing. He did not mention anything specific on solving the Bangladeshi issue, on the construction of mega dams or bringing solution for flood and erosion problem in the state,” said AGP general secretary Kamala Kanta Kalita.
AGP will launch a state wide protest from Thursday. Terming Modi as “Assam’s enemy”, AGP leaders said it will continue opposing the Amendment Bill. On Thursday, AGP will hoist black flags in public places and organize various events to condemn the BJP for its betrayal. The protest will continue till December 9 with various activities across the state.
“Narendra Modi has proved himself that he is an enemy to our state. This is the first step of his enmity, which will continue with lot many other things against the interest of the state. We will oppose against such moves of the BJP at the best possible manner. We will carry out different protest activities continuously from Thursday,” AGP president Atul Bora told reporters on Wednesday.
AGP members shout anti-BJP slogan in Guwahati
Asom Yuva Parishad (AYP), the youth wing, and Asom Mohila Parishad (AMP), the women wing, will also join the protest across the state.
During the visit to the northeast, Modi had said that the land swap deal with neighbouring Bangladesh would benefit the people and help in solving the border problem including the completion of border fencing.
The much talked about land agreement was signed during then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka in 2011, in keeping with the protocol to the 1974 land boundary demarcation between the two countries. In this agreement, the issue of exchange of ‘adversely possessed land’ in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and West Bengal along the India-Bangladesh border was finalized. According to the deal, Assam will get 397.50 acre land from Bangladesh, while the state will part with 267.5 acre. The Parliamentary Standing Committee presented its report on the Constitution (119th Constitutional Amendment) Bill, 2013, to the Lok Sabha on Monday, which materialize the deal.
Several organizations including the AGP have been strongly opposing the move of the PM since then. “By the action, which the BJP has showed since coming to power, we feel that they will be even more dangerous than the previous UPA government. There is huge difference between what they said before election and now. There are other issues as well which the PM did not even mention like flood and erosion,” Bora said.
AASU activists and leaders take part in sit in demonstration protest against BJP and PM Modi’s decision
All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), state’s apex students’ body, also strongly opposed Modi’s statement on Land Swap Deal. “We will not accept handing over Assam land to Bangladesh under any circumstances. The state should not lose any land to Bangladesh. The Centre should erect a fence for protecting Assam land. We appeal to seven MPs, who are part of the NDA, to hold talks with the PM to save Assam land. BJP should keep its promises that were made to the people of the state before the Lok Sabha polls,” AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said as they stage state wide protest.
Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), another students’ body also staged protest against BJP’s stand.