GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, June 13, said that the demand for border fencing during the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985 should have extended to the entire India-Bangladesh border rather than being limited to Assam alone.
Addressing a programme at the BJP headquarters in Guwahati to mark 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, Sarma argued that securing only Assam's border was insufficient, as Bangladesh shares boundaries with four other states in the region—Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and West Bengal.
The Chief Minister alleged that the Congress had made a “historic mistake” by focusing border fencing efforts primarily on Assam while leaving stretches in neighbouring states inadequately secured. According to him, this allowed illegal migrants to enter India through other border states and eventually move into Assam.
Sarma said the issue was subsequently taken up by the BJP-led Central government, which initiated fencing projects along border areas in Meghalaya and Tripura. He added that similar work is expected to begin soon in West Bengal as part of a broader effort to strengthen border security.
Referring to the Centre's recently constituted Demography Committee, the Chief Minister said the Assam government's submission would highlight the need for comprehensive border sealing and stricter identity verification mechanisms. He said the committee should examine demographic trends and population changes across communities since Independence to better understand long-term shifts.
Sarma also spoke about the strategic importance of the Northeast, noting that the region remains connected to the rest of India through the narrow Siliguri Corridor. He warned that any security-related challenge in the corridor could affect connectivity with the Northeast.
To address such concerns, he said the Central government has undertaken major infrastructure initiatives, including the construction of rail and road tunnels beneath the Brahmaputra River and projects aimed at strengthening connectivity through the Siliguri corridor, enhancing both transportation links and national security preparedness.