Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the porous Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam would be sealed within the next one-and-half-year time and added that the Centre was also committed to give ‘protection’ to the indigenous people of Assam by implementing the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
The Union Home Minister stated this while addressing thousands of BJP workers at a meeting held in Guwahati. The Home Minister’s statement assumes significance as the State has been witnessing severe protests over the issue of giving citizenship to the Hindu Bangladeshis from Bangladesh by amending the Citizenship Act.
“We are serious about securing the Indo-Bangladesh border. The whole Indo-Bangladesh international border will be sealed within next one and half year time. Fencing will be used where there is a need and technological intervention like censors will also be used wherever required,” Singh said.
Narrating the Central Government’s sincerity over the issue, the Home Minister said, “I remember that there were protests in Assam over the issue of exchanging of enclaves with Bangladesh under the Indo-Bangla land Swap Protocol. Our Government took a strong decision and one can see the positive result now. Today Bangladesh is standing together with India in all issues. The neighbouring country is supporting India on the issue of terrorism in International forums. This is a good development,” he said.
He also said the BJP Governments at the Centre and in Assam were also for protection of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. “I appeal all of you to go to the people of Assam and reaffirm that we are going to give protection to the indigenous people of Assam according to the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and there is no question of overriding it,” he said while addressing the party workers.
lauding the initiative of the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his Cabinet, the Home Minister said the State Government had taken steps to increase the number of Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam from 35 to 100 and prioritised to complete the process of updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Home Minister also sent a strong message to the insurgent outfits of the region and said the Government was ready for solving any issue through peaceful talks but that it was not going to tolerate any kind of violence.
lauding the initiative of BJP-led Assam Government Rajnath Singh said the Government was also keen on updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which would help solve the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. “It is the BJP Government in the State that has increased the number of Foreigners’ Tribunal in Assam from35 to 100. This indicates the Government sincerity,” he said.
Singh said that there is a need to change some structural and procedural changes of the Government machinery and added that the new Government in Assam had already taken steps to make these changes.