PM briefs BJP leaders on his upcoming visit

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has conveyed to BJP leaders that the issues related to enclaves, adversely possessed land and un-demarcated border as well as the interim agreement for sharing of water of river Teesta would come up during his visit to Bangladesh next week. Shekhar Iyer reports.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has conveyed to BJP leaders that the issues related to enclaves, adversely possessed land and un-demarcated border as well as the interim agreement for sharing of water of river Teesta would come up during his visit to Bangladesh next week.

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Singh is understood to have indicated to LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley about the pacts that India and Bangladesh would sign.

The PM did not indicate any move to reach a “swap” deal during his visit though the issue could come up. National security adviser Shivshankar Menon, who was present at their meeting held on Friday, gave details of the enclaves where people were living.

The PM indicated to the BJP leaders that the people in these enclaves in both countries did not want to be displaced.

Advani told HT that the BJP backed the government’s move to strengthen ties with Bangladesh but he wanted “the issue of continuous illegal migration” from that country stopped.

The first indication of possibility of an exchange of enclaves was given by Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Gogoi had indicated India might reach an agreement with Bangladesh to exchange land that were in adverse possession with the two nations.