AGP, AASU fume over land deal

10 hr Assam bandh call by AGP today, AASU to take to streets

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, May 6: Reacting to passing of the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the Asom Ga Parishad (AGP) and the All Assam Students Union (AASU) slammed the ruling BJP government at the Centre for playing politics of deception.

In a statement issued to the media here on Wednesday, the AGP accused the BJP of playing with the sentiments of people of the State before the Lok Sabha elections but betraying them after coming to power with huge majority.

“In the days of UPA rule, AGP MPs Kumar Dipak Das and Birendra Prasad Baishya tore the draft copy of the land swap agreement in Parliament in protest against the  deal,” the statement said, adding, “Now, the State BJP will have to answer to the people of the State on the Central government’s flip-flop over the issue.”

Members of the AGP on Wednesday burnt the draft copy of the land agreement and effigies of Prime Minister rendra Modi and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in different parts of the State, protesting the land agreement.

A 10-hour State bandh (from 6 am to 6 pm) has also been called by the party on Thursday in protest against the land agreement.

Meanwhile, the AASU said both the BJP government at the Centre and the UPA are in favour of handing over Assam’s land to Bangladesh. The AASU stated that the Central government, if it has the courage, should sign a repatriation agreement with Dhaka so that it can take back its people living illegally in Assam.

In protest against the passing of the bill in Rajya Sabha, effigies of Prime Minister rendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were burnt by AASU members all over the State on Wednesday. On May 8, another protest programme will be staged by the students body in the State on the same issue. In the land deal, Assam will concede 268.4 acres of land in Boraibari (Dhubri) and Pallathal (Karimganj), and in return will get 714 acres of land in Lathitilla-Dumabari area (Karimganj).