The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to the Indo-Bangla land swap deal and the powerful students’ body warned the Central and State Government not to give a single inch of Assam’s land to Bangladesh.
The students’ body held protests at different locations of the State including in the Capital and sent a clear message to the Centre that they would launch an even more powerful agitation if the Centre goes ahead with the controversial land swap deal.
The AASU’s reaction came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Assam not to oppose the land swap deal and said that he would use the deal to stop illegal infiltration to Assam from Bangladesh.
“When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office six months back, the people expected a lot from him. We still remember that Narendra Modi had gone on record saying he is against the land transfer to Bangladesh. The party had also called a bandh to protest the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s signing the protocol with Bangladesh Prime Minister,” said said Aasu adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya.
“However, the Prime Minister is making a complete U-turn over the issue. The recent announcement of Modi has once again vindicated our stand that there is no basic difference between the BJP and the Congress as far as their outlook for Assam is concerned,” Bhattacharyya said.
“I request the lok Sabha MPs from Assam to take up the issue with the Prime Minister and oppose it,” the AASU adviser said adding “We would be forced to take up even more stern agitational programmes if the Centre goes ahead with the deal,” he added.
It may be mentioned here that the protocol to the Indo-Bangladesh land swap deal between India and Bangladesh, which was signed during the then PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to the neighbouring country in 2011, aims to exchange 51 Bangladesh enclaves in India with 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.