House concerned over 'Greater Bangla' move

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Publication: www.assamtribune.com
Date: February 24, 2001

Members of the State Assembly today expressed serious concern over the proposal mooted by a section of Bangladeshi intellectuals to divide India to form a confederation comprising Bangladesh, North-east States of India and West Bengal. Raising the issue during the zero-hour in the State Assembly today, Sri Dilip Kumar Saikia (AGP) said that the State Government should take up the matter seriously with the Government of India. He pointed out that way back in 1947, the leaders of the erstwhile East Pakistan tried their best to include Assam in their country but that move was thwarted because of the bold leadership of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi. From that time, the Bangladeshi leaders and intellectuals have raised the issue on several occasions, he added. Sri Saikia said that such proposals to divide India would create misunderstanding among different sections of people living in the State and help the insurgent outfits. He also expressed the view that the State Assembly should adopt a resolution opposing the proposal to create a greater Bangladesh. Sri Hemen Das (CPM) said that the conspiracy to divide India was nothing new. He said that the CIA of the United States launched the Operation Brahmaputra to divide the NE from the rest of the country. Such a move was launched even after the creation of Bangladesh, he added. He further pointed out that the imperialist countries like the United States instigated the Naga rebels. Sri Das also called upon all sections of people of Assam to fight unitedly against the secessionist forces.

 In reply to the discussions on the issue, the Chief Minister, Sri Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said that the State Government was monitoring the developments with concern and 'we have also contacted the Central Government.' Sri Mahanta said that the proposal, circulated through the internet, might be a design to create confusion among the minds of the people, particularly at a time when the census operation is on. Sri Mahanta said that with the Information Technology revolution, it is very easy to circulate one's views through the internet and there is very little that the Government can do about it. He said that even the ULFA had been propagating its views through their website and the Government has to launch its own website to counter that. He also revealed that an effort was made to 'hijack' the Assam Police website but fortunately, that move was thwarted.
 

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