NEW DELHI, April 21 � Faced with opposition to the land swap Bill, the Ministry of External Affairs has convened a meeting with AGP MPs on Monday as part of Centre�s consensus-building initiative, even as the Constitution amendment Bill is listed for introduction on Tuesday.
AGP MP Biren Baishya confirmed that they have been invited for a meeting to discuss the proposed Bill. As reported, BJP and AGP have declared their opposition to the land swap Bill. Baishya has said that in keeping with their decision they would oppose the Bill at the introduction stage itself.
However, the BJP is likely to allow the Constitution amendment Bill to be introduced and press that it should be referred to the Standing Committee for further vetting. The principle opposition party has already rejected the Bill and announced its intention to oppose it. Likewise, several other smaller regional parties too have expressed their opposition. The bjp last week firmed up its plan to defeat the Bill. As it is a Constitution amendment Bill, the government needs two-thirds majority.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid is likely to introduce the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. This would be UPA Government�s third attempt to introduce the contentious Bill. The government tried to introduce it in the Winter Session and then again on the last day of the Budget Session.
The Bill proposes to ratify the protocol agreement signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his Dhaka tour in 2011 and seeks to pave the way for exchange of enclaves and land in adverse possession.
Our Staff Reporter adds: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will observe April 23 as �black day� in protest against the Indo-Bangla land swap Bill.
Party president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has urged the people of Assam to observe April 23 as a �black day� as the bill is expected to be placed in Rajya Sabha on that day.
Party workers will also stage sit-in demonstrations across the State on that day, he said.
At a press conference today, the two-time former Chief Minister further informed that the central executive members of the regional party will also resort to sit-in demonstration before Raj Bhawan on April 25 from 10 am to 1 pm pressing for fulfilment of their demand.
�Assam following the deal will lose several acres of land and we cannot allow that to happen. Not a single inch of State�s land should be given to the neighbouring country. We are in touch with other opposition parties in this regard,� Mahanta said.
A meeting of AGP was held today to discuss its plan of action vis-�-vis a number of issues including the land swap agreement.
Mahanta also took a dig at the ruling Congress Government over the death of Poona Moran who died in an encounter a couple of days back in Tinsukia and demanded ex-gratia for the family of the deceased.
While vouching for a high-level inquiry into the incident, Mahanta alleged that the Congress Government has lost control over its own forces, which was evidenced by the Tinsukia incident.
The AGP president also flayed Government for the alleged loss of oil royalty to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore.
�Even CAG has exposed irregularities and loss of revenue to the State exchequer, which is the result of wrong policy of the Central Government,� Mahanta added.
