Land pact in monsoon session! - bdnews24.com
Land pact in monsoon session!
Kolkata Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published:July 20 2013 01:33 BDT Updated:July 20 2013 01:33 BDT
India's ruling Congress-led UPA coalition will table a constitutional amendment Bill in monsoon session of the beginning Aug 5 to implement the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement.
This was conveyed by India to Bangladesh during the ongoing home secretary-level talks here on Friday, a senior official told bdnews24.com.
India wants to ratify the 1974 Indira-Mujib pact for demarcation of boundaries and for exchange of 161 adversely-held enclaves with a population of about 50,000 people. For than, the amendment to the constitution has become necessary and the bill is meant to achieve that.
While Bangladesh Parliament has already approved the land boundary pact, India needs to introduce a constitutional amendment bill because its implementation involves exchange of territory.
The approval of land boundary accord has been hanging fire because the ruling UPA coalition lacks the two-third majority in Parliament to ensure its passage and leading Opposition parties like the BJP are opposed to the agreement.
During the talks, both sides also discussed the modalities for implementation of the extradition treaty signed by both the countries earlier this year that will pave the way for deportation of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, currently lodged in a Bangladeshi jail.
"We are taking forward the dialogue from where we left off. Constant cooperation between India and Bangladesh is going on," Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim, who took part in the meeting, told reporters here.
Asked when Chetia would be deported, Karim said, "The process is on. When it will happen, it will happen.
India during the talks submitted to Bangladesh a list of 96 people against whom the Interpol has issued Red Corner notices but Dhaka denied these people were in its territory.
India also asked Bangladesh to ensure the release the remaining six Indians who were abducted by different Indian insurgent groups like NSCN, PLA and NDFB to that country. The six are part of 13 people whom the insurgents had kidnapped and taken to Bangladesh.
It is not yet clear whether the government has managed to get any assurance from the opposition specially the BJP about support for the bill.
The Indian ministry for external affairs have published detailed booklets about the deal to project it does not undermine Indian interests at all. They have extensively lobbied with all opposition parties including the BJP -- but without much success so far.
Land pact in monsoon session!
Kolkata Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published:July 20 2013 01:33 BDT Updated:July 20 2013 01:33 BDT
India's ruling Congress-led UPA coalition will table a constitutional amendment Bill in monsoon session of the beginning Aug 5 to implement the Indo-Bangla land boundary agreement.
This was conveyed by India to Bangladesh during the ongoing home secretary-level talks here on Friday, a senior official told bdnews24.com.
India wants to ratify the 1974 Indira-Mujib pact for demarcation of boundaries and for exchange of 161 adversely-held enclaves with a population of about 50,000 people. For than, the amendment to the constitution has become necessary and the bill is meant to achieve that.
While Bangladesh Parliament has already approved the land boundary pact, India needs to introduce a constitutional amendment bill because its implementation involves exchange of territory.
The approval of land boundary accord has been hanging fire because the ruling UPA coalition lacks the two-third majority in Parliament to ensure its passage and leading Opposition parties like the BJP are opposed to the agreement.
During the talks, both sides also discussed the modalities for implementation of the extradition treaty signed by both the countries earlier this year that will pave the way for deportation of ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, currently lodged in a Bangladeshi jail.
"We are taking forward the dialogue from where we left off. Constant cooperation between India and Bangladesh is going on," Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim, who took part in the meeting, told reporters here.
Asked when Chetia would be deported, Karim said, "The process is on. When it will happen, it will happen.
India during the talks submitted to Bangladesh a list of 96 people against whom the Interpol has issued Red Corner notices but Dhaka denied these people were in its territory.
India also asked Bangladesh to ensure the release the remaining six Indians who were abducted by different Indian insurgent groups like NSCN, PLA and NDFB to that country. The six are part of 13 people whom the insurgents had kidnapped and taken to Bangladesh.
It is not yet clear whether the government has managed to get any assurance from the opposition specially the BJP about support for the bill.
The Indian ministry for external affairs have published detailed booklets about the deal to project it does not undermine Indian interests at all. They have extensively lobbied with all opposition parties including the BJP -- but without much success so far.
