BJP has said that sealing the porous India-Myanmar border in the northeast will be one of the main components for tackling Maoist insurgency in the country.
BJP’s National Security Cell convener P Chandrasekhar Rao said in Guwahati on Friday that the smuggling of illegal arms and ammunition through the Indo-Myanmar border in northeast has encouraged the Maoist insurgency. He said that BJP’s security cell has assessed that many of the arms smuggled through India-Myanmar border in the region are being sent to add firepower of the Maoists operating in Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and other red-rebel affected States.
“It’s a matter of serious concern because Maoists in the country are these days sourcing arms from northeast after they are smuggled through the porous border from Myanmar. Sealing of the India-Myanmar border should be included as one of the components for tackling Maoist problem in the country,” Rao, who is also national executive member of BJP, said.
“Northeast is in strategic location with large tract sharing international borders with China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Already the security scenario is a complex one with so many militant groups operating in the region. Maoist influence could make the situation more complex,” Rao said.
BJP’s security cell demanded that a separate northeast security council should be created to deal with the complex security scenario in the region. Rao said that the northeast security council should work in association with the National Security Council. “The Union Home Ministry’s joint secretary office for northeast is not sufficient to take care of the complex security scenario in the region. So, there has to be separate security council for the region,” he added.
The BJP has also demanded review of Government’s ceasefire agreement with militant organisations and also proper assessment of implementation of rehabilitation packages for the surrendered militants in the State.
“To our views there have been many anomalies in the implementation of ceasefire agreements and rehabilitation packages. Militant organisations despite ceasefire agreements are indulging in illegal collection of money,” Rao claimed.