Women personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) patrol the India-Bangladesh border at Dhanpur village in Tripura. (Reuters)
A major students' organisation in Assam on Tuesday launched a state-wide protest opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement to go ahead with the land swap deal with Bangladesh.
Addressing a rally of Bharatiya Janata Party workers in Guwahati recently, Mr Modi sought the consent of the people of Assam for the land swap deal, and assured them that he would use the deal to stop illegal infiltration from Bangladesh.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) on Tuesday launched a state-wide protest, saying the prime minister and the BJP-led government at the Centre were trying to betray the people of Assam.
"The BJP is making a U-turn on the land swap deal. Prime Minister Modi had come to Assam before the Lok Sabha polls and expressed apprehension over the deal. The people of Assam expected a lot from the prime minister and the new government. However, the prime minister's statement during his recent visit was opposite to what he said earlier," AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said.
Mr Bhattacharyya warned the state and central governments against handing over a single inch of Assam's land to Bangladesh.
He appealed to the Lok Sabha members from Assam to take up the issue in parliament for the sake of the people of Assam.
"We clearly remember that Modi had gone on record saying he was opposed to the land transfer, and the BJP had even called a bandh to protest then prime minister Manmohan Singh's accord with Hasina (Sheikh Hasina, Bangaldesh Prime Minister)," Mr Bhattacharyya said.
"The fresh announcement by the prime minister has once again vindicated our stand that there is no difference between the BJP and the Congress in relation to their outlook for Assam."
AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi termed Mr Modi's statement a "betrayal" of Assam.
"We strongly oppose this stand. Whatever portion of land India is supposed to get back from Bangladesh is also our land, whatever portion the government wants to give to that country is also ours," he said.