NEW DELHI, July 17 - Advocating a water sharing treaty with China, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has urged the Central government to put pressure on the neighbouring country to sign such an agreement.
�Such a treaty is essential because of the apprehension of China planning to divert the Brahmaputra river in its territory,� Gogoi said while talking to this newspaper after emerging out of the Parliament House after casting his vote in the presidential election today.
Gogoi, who returned from abroad this morning, said that he has written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj regarding his recent meeting with Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui.
Clarifying that the meeting took place at the request of the Chinese envoy, Gogoi said that he had raised all the contentious issues during his deliberations with Zhaohui.
Gogoi said that he had also raised the issue of ULFA(I) chief Paresh Baruah enjoying a free run in China. �I conveyed that we have apprehension that Baruah is operating out of the Chinese territory,� he said. �Available reports suggest that Baruah is in China,� he added.
�In my letter to the three NDA ministers, I mentioned that the matter should be raised by the Government of India bilaterally,� he said.
