BJP to raise border fencing issue in Parliament
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 02 2013 : BJP will take up the issue of Indo-Myanmar border fencing during the Winter session of Parliament, said BJP Manipur Unit President Thounaojam Chaoba.

Speaking to reporters at the Nityaipat Chuthek party office today, Th Chaoba said that party Central leader Rajnath Singh had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding the issue on December 1 .

He said that BJP is not only planning to deliberate the issue by a Parliamentary Board of BJP MPs but also to take up the issue for discussion in Parliament with the submission of a written application on December 4 .

Regarding absence of BJP representatives in the recent All Political Party delegations to New Delhi led by Chief Minister O Ibobi, Th Chaoba alleged that border fencing near Moreh commenced after giving signature of approval by Chief Minister O Ibobi on June 25, 2008 .

As such, the Chief Minister must apologize to the people of Manipur for the alleged blunder.

Turning towards Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, Th Chaoba advised him not to become a scapegoat for the mistake committed by the Chief Minister.

The Deputy Chief Minister had recently expressed his concern over the absence of BJP and MPP representatives in the All Political Party delegations to New Delhi.

Forget taking part in the all-party delegations, BJP would launch a State-wide campaign by staging dharnas and distribution of pamphlets in all the districts of Manipur regarding the issue, Th Chaoba said.

The BJP leader alleged that O Ibobi, who is also the Chairman of State Board for Wildlife, gave away a vast area of Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary, situated to the north of Moreh to Myanmar by giving his nod to commence border fencing on June 25, 2008 .

The sanctuary is one of the most sensitive biodiversity spots of the world (Indo-Burma Hotspot), which serves as species corridor to the South-East Asian mammalian species, he added.

He also questioned why the Congress Government is feigning ignorance on the commencement of border fencing although the Chief Minister had given his approval on the matter.

He also alleged that the memorandum drafted by the Sub-Committee of the All Political Parties not only left out the demand for discarding the border fencing erected wrongly but also failed to make any request to erect fencing at the actual boundary line.

In his three-page letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rajnath Singh said that the people of Manipur are extremely sensitive on the issues of territorial integrity and territorial boundary.

They continue to remain disgruntled for the loss of Kabaw valley to Burma, he said and added that under such circumstances, erecting boundary fencing abandoning a huge stretch of land on the side of Myanmar has made the public alarmed and distrustful.

Knowing all the facts, the people of Manipur have been raising protest movements against the present boundary with severe degree of tension along the boundary, Rajnath Singh added.

As such, BJP has reached to a conclusion that in the national interest, the Centre needs to immediately stop boundary fencing work as it has left huge tract of land on Myanmar side which has traditionally been for India.

He further said that re-demarcation of unsettled portion of boundary line following the traditional boundary/re-identification of the boundary pillars along the Manipur sector with people's participation from both the countries be conducted at the earliest.

Further, the boundary line printed in the SOI maps be deferred immediately/not published and Google be asked to stop availing erroneous maps on its site immediately, Rajnath Singh demanded.

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