Pranab for ratification of land boundary deal
Address in Indian Parliament
Pranab for ratification of land boundary deal
Diplomatic Correspondent
In a major breakthrough, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday advocated the passage of a constitutional amendment bill in parliament to make the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh effective.
“My government proposes to introduce a constitutional amendment bill in parliament to give effect to the provisions of the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh and its 2011 protocol, which will strengthen border management and our security,†he told the parliament.
Also known as Indira-Mujib agreement, the LBA was signed by former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on May 16, 1974. It aimed to remove longstanding border disputes between the two neighbours, exchange the adversely possessed enclaves and lands, and demarcate the 6.5 kilometre-long un-demarcated border.
Bangladesh parliament ratified the agreement in 1974, but the Indian parliament is yet to ratify it.
On September 6, 2011, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Dhaka had signed the protocol to the agreement.
The Indian cabinet on February 13 approved the draft of the constitutional amendment bill on the LBA and its protocol.
Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid at a joint press conference in Dhaka on February 16 assured that the additional protocol to the 1974 LBA would be ratified in the coming budget session of the Indian parliament.
If the Indian parliament passes the constitutional amendment bill, it will address all the outstanding land boundary issues between the two countries.
The outstanding issues include (i) 6.5 km un-demarcated land boundary in three sectors viz, Daikhata-56 (West Bengal), Muhuri River-Belonia (Tripura) and Dumabari (Assam); (ii) enclaves; and (iii) adverse possessions.
The un-demarcated boundaries in all three segments have already been demarcated and the two countries have already exchanged the strip maps.
As per the LBA, 111 Indian and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves will be exchanged with a population of 37,334 and 14,215 respectively.
Besides, some adversely possessed land along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam will also be exchanged.
With the demarcation of the boundary as per the LBA, India will receive 2,777.038 acres of land from Bangladesh and transfer 2267.682 acres back to Bangladesh.
Officials said the boundary issue has been settled keeping in mind people's aspirations.
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It was 1974 when Mujib-Indira Border Treaty was signed and only in 2013 an Indian President is asking the Parliament to ratify the treaty. This shows what Indian mind is. It promises but it does not deliver. As a consequence of this silly nature of India, all the countries around it are suffering from Indiaphobia. Can we blame these neighbours? Hope, it will not be 2113 before finally Indian Parliament ratifies the treaty.
Address in Indian Parliament
Pranab for ratification of land boundary deal
Diplomatic Correspondent
In a major breakthrough, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday advocated the passage of a constitutional amendment bill in parliament to make the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh effective.
“My government proposes to introduce a constitutional amendment bill in parliament to give effect to the provisions of the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh and its 2011 protocol, which will strengthen border management and our security,†he told the parliament.
Also known as Indira-Mujib agreement, the LBA was signed by former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on May 16, 1974. It aimed to remove longstanding border disputes between the two neighbours, exchange the adversely possessed enclaves and lands, and demarcate the 6.5 kilometre-long un-demarcated border.
Bangladesh parliament ratified the agreement in 1974, but the Indian parliament is yet to ratify it.
On September 6, 2011, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Dhaka had signed the protocol to the agreement.
The Indian cabinet on February 13 approved the draft of the constitutional amendment bill on the LBA and its protocol.
Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid at a joint press conference in Dhaka on February 16 assured that the additional protocol to the 1974 LBA would be ratified in the coming budget session of the Indian parliament.
If the Indian parliament passes the constitutional amendment bill, it will address all the outstanding land boundary issues between the two countries.
The outstanding issues include (i) 6.5 km un-demarcated land boundary in three sectors viz, Daikhata-56 (West Bengal), Muhuri River-Belonia (Tripura) and Dumabari (Assam); (ii) enclaves; and (iii) adverse possessions.
The un-demarcated boundaries in all three segments have already been demarcated and the two countries have already exchanged the strip maps.
As per the LBA, 111 Indian and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves will be exchanged with a population of 37,334 and 14,215 respectively.
Besides, some adversely possessed land along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam will also be exchanged.
With the demarcation of the boundary as per the LBA, India will receive 2,777.038 acres of land from Bangladesh and transfer 2267.682 acres back to Bangladesh.
Officials said the boundary issue has been settled keeping in mind people's aspirations.
=================================================================
It was 1974 when Mujib-Indira Border Treaty was signed and only in 2013 an Indian President is asking the Parliament to ratify the treaty. This shows what Indian mind is. It promises but it does not deliver. As a consequence of this silly nature of India, all the countries around it are suffering from Indiaphobia. Can we blame these neighbours? Hope, it will not be 2113 before finally Indian Parliament ratifies the treaty.
