Singh: Worried

Guwahati, March 3: Assam governor Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh today said Dispur has moved Delhi for augmenting the anti-infiltration measures along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The steps will include remodelling the barbed wire fencing on the lines of the international fencing in Punjab and raising a river police battalion.

Addressing the Assembly on the inaugural day of the budget session this morning, the governor said the anti-infiltration measures proposed by the state government “relate to re-modelling of the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing on the lines of the Punjab border”.

Stating that Dispur’s proposals include issuance of multipurpose photo-identity cards, the governor said, “My government is taking all measures to check infiltration.”

The idea of changing the barbed wire to the Punjab model was first mooted by Gen. Singh’s predecessor, Lt Gen. (retd) S.K. Sinha, in his controversial report on illegal migration in Assam, which was submitted to the President in November 1998. In his report, Gen. Sinha had mentioned that the “quality of fencing in Punjab is superior. It is two feet taller”. Gen. Sinha had also mentioned the absence of observation towers and lights in Assam.

A high-ranking home department official said Dispur has proposed raising a wall, topped with electrified barbed wire to check infiltration.

The proposal for raising the river police battalion has been made to stop infiltration through the riverine stretches of the international border. Assam shares a 262-km-long border with Bangladesh, of which 92 km is riverine. Though Assam police have a river wing, it has been found inadequate to counter the threat from infiltrators, the official added.

He said at present, photo-identity cards were being issued only at Patharkandi in Karimganj district under a pilot project.

Echoing the Congress’ stand, the governor said the government “favours retention of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, not to protect foreigners but detect them through a judicial process and prevent unnecessary harassment of minorities, both religious and linguistic”.

He highlighted the steps taken by the state government, which have resulted in improving the state’s finances and standard of living of the people. He said the government would set up a Women’s Development Corporation to provide self-employment opportunities to them. In the next session, it will introduce a bill for “reservation of government jobs for women and giving them preference in awarding government projects”.

However, an unimpressed AGP walked out of the Assembly when the House reassembled after recess, saying the governor had not mentioned any major issue. The AGP members also waved a black banner in protest against the governor’s speech.

In the morning, the BJP members had walked out just when the governor had started his speech in protest against the Tarun Gogoi government’s attempt to withdraw pending criminal cases against Congress workers, including ministers and an MP.