File photo of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
In the event of the land swap deal with Bangladesh being struck, Assam would stand to gain 397.5 acres of land from the neighbouring country, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said.
Gogoi said opposition BJP and AGP's contrary stand against the land boundary agreement arguing that the state would have to give away land to Bangladesh was an effort to mislead the public for their political gain.
Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati, "Altogether 665 acres of land was under adverse possession of both the countries and following the land transfer agreement, Assam will regain 397.5 acres of land while Bangladesh will get 267.5 acres."
"Where does the question of the state giving away land arise? Actually, both the BJP and AGP are out to politicise the issue and their protests only prove, they do not want the land to be included within the state," he said.
He also alleged that both BJP and AGP did nothing to ensure that the land under adverse possession was returned to the state while they were in power both at the Centre and the state.
The land in adverse possessions are in the maps of each country but actually they are not in control of either of the two countries and the land transfer will ensure "land in adverse possession are exchanged and we regain what is rightfully ours."
The land swap agreement would also ensure demarcation and erection of fencing on the unfenced 2.86-km stretch in the Lathitilla-Dumabari sector in Karimganj district along the Indo-Bengal border.