BJP Govt ignoring Indo-Myanmar border: Cong
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 28 2021:
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Hareshwar Goshwami has accused the BJP-led government in the state of continuing to ignore the Indo-Myanmar border issue, especially with its silence against the installation of subsidiary pillars within Manipur's territory by Myanmarese authority.
Addressing a press meet held at Congress Bhawan here on Thursday, Hareshwar said that both the central and the state governments are refusing to pay serious attention to the Indo-Myanmar border issue.
Congress strongly condemns such lackadaisical attitude towards the territorial integrity of the state, he added.
Recently, a joint team of UCM and several CSOs visited the border area and found that Manipur is slowly losing its land to Myanmar.
However, despite receiving a report on the same, both the central and state governments are yet to take up any action on the matter.
Additionally, many political parties including the Congress also visited the border area and submitted memorandums to the PM and union ministers concerned with request for saving the territory of Manipur.
"It has been and will continue to be the responsibility of the people of Manipur to protect and safeguard the state's territory, which had been bequeathed by our forefathers, even if it means we have to sacrifice our lives for it," he asserted.
Citing the Statistical Handbook of Manipur (now Statistical Year Book of Manipur), Hareshwar said that as per the official record of 1978, the total area of Manipur was 22,559 sq km, which was reduced to 22,329 sq km in 1992.The stretch of boundary between India and Myanmar is 1643 sq km, of which Manipur shares a boundary of 395 sq km.
"The border length which had been a thorn in Myanmar-Manipur relation was around 35km till 1993, comprising Tuivai-Molcham area border pillar no 64 to 68, Tamu-Moreh area border pillar no.75 to 79 and Chero-Khunou area border pillar no.88 to 95.Meanwhile, the union minister of state for home affairs had stated in the Indian parliament that there was no border issue between India and Myanmar.
Even now, the government is playing dumb while Myanmar continues to take oyer Manipur's land to the point of installing subsidiary pillars well within the latter's territory.
As a result, Manipur is at the verge of losing a huge chunk of its land," he maintained.
Hareshwar continued: "The major cause for the loss of Manipur's land is the Boundary Agreement signed between India and Union of Burma at Rangoon in 1967.The document agreed upon carrying out delimitation and demarcation of the traditional boundary.
As a result, Myanmar uprooted many of the original boundary pillars and proceeded to install them in Manipur's territory, which caused Manipur to lose its land area.
On April 9, 2002, the state home department received an intelligence report of the Myanmar army uprooting the bordar pillars no 65 (34), 65(33) and 67(32) in Tuivai-Molcham sector.
On October 24, 1981, then deputy chief minister Irengbam Tompok and ministers Th Krishna, Holkhomang Haokip and others of the then Congress government visited Molcham and submitted a report to the government regarding the takeover of the land, As mentioned, Congress has always fought to safeguard the territory of the state.
Former CM O Ibobi led an all-political party team to submit memorandums to then PM and home minister in this regard.
Unfortunately, the present BJP government has decided to completely ignore the border issue," he said.
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