30.7.13

Bangladesh seeks BJP's support for Land Agreement


As New Delhi continues to rue lack of political support for the land boundary agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh, the neighbouring country’s foreign minister Dipu Moni arrived here seeking to muster support from Opposition leaders.
Moni on Friday will meet BJP’s Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha where a Constitution Amendment Bill will be introduced in August for the ratification of the agreement. This is necessary because of exchange of territories (enclaves) involved.
The Bill needs to be passed by a majority in each House of no less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. She will also meet her counterpart Salman Khurshid.
Moni is in India for an event organized by the ORF. Her visit is also expected to prepare the groundwork for Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India next year.
The main opposition BJP, along with other parties like the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which prevented the government from introducing the Bill during the budget session, continues to oppose the agreement insisting that India is ceding too much territory to the neighbouring country. The additional protocol for the 1974 LBA was signed in September 2011 during PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to Dhaka.

No comments: