Land swap deal with Bangladesh will be beneficial: Gogoi

Coming out in support of the India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the protocol would result in gain for the state.
He said while 665 hectares of Assam's land as shown in the maps are currently in adverse possession of Bangladesh, ratification and implementation of the deal will result in the state "actually getting" hold of 397.5 hectares of that area.
"As per the agreement, Bangladesh will retain possession of 267.5 hectares of the land while we will get the remaining 397.5 hectares.
"Assam will not lose anything. May be in map, we will lose but on the ground we will gain," Gogoi said.

Criticising opposition BJP and Asom Gana Parishad, which have opposed the constitutional amendment bill proposed to be tabled in Parliament to ratify the deal with Bangladesh saying that Assam will lose land in case it goes ahead, Gogoi said erstwhile East Pakistan and then Bangladesh have been in adverse possession of the enclaves since 1947.
"Even the BJP-led government earlier at the Centre did not take any step to take back the land," he said.

He said that besides allowing for clear demarcation of the border, the land swap deal will also help complete fencing work in the border and in the fight against smuggling and trafficking in the area.

On the issue of human settlements in the vicinity of the Kaziranga National Park, Gogoi said permission for such were given in 1996 when Congress was not in power.
He said CBI has already taken up cases related to poaching of rhinos in the park and nobody found to be involved in such activities would be spared.