This refers to the editorial, “land pact and beyond” (May 7). The Bharatiya Janata Party has finally taken a positive stand on a critical border issue concerning Bangladesh, which had been hanging fire for years. While in the Opposition, the BJP had resolutely opposed the India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement that included Assam. But it has now cleared the Amendment Bill which is set to legalise the swapping of territories between India and Bangladesh. Parliament too has passed the Bill.
The exchange of territory between adjacent countries is always a complicated issue. For many years, political parties on both sides in India and Bangladesh did not allow the matter of enclaves to reach a resolution. This is one of the primary reasons for the inordinate delay in reaching a bilateral agreement. Having finally crossed the hurdle, the BJP should now refrain from assessing the border issue through its traditional prism of immigration and security.