Prevent territorial loss to Bangladesh: BJP to govt

New Delhi: The BJP today hoped that India’s territorial integrity would be respected while finalising accords with Bangladesh during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Dhaka visit from Tuesday during which the two countries are expected to sign a deal on exchange of border enclaves. “BJP is of the opinion that during the course of discussions and arrangements arrived at between India and Bangladesh, India’s territorial integrity and local sentiments of the border states in India will be fully respected,” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley said.[caption id=“attachment_76775” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Villagers cross the river Teesta at Gangachra at Rangpur district in Bangladesh. Rafiqur Rahman/Reuters”]  [/caption] The leaders said the Prime Minister’s two-day official visit “is intended at strengthening the Indo-Bangladesh relations. We wish the Prime Minister all the best.” The Prime Minister had invited Swaraj, Jaitley and BJP Parliamentary Party chief L K Advani on Friday for a meeting to discuss his Bangladesh visit where important treaties related to sharing of Teesta water and exchange of enclaves occupied by people located on their borders are expected to be signed. During the meeting, BJP had sought some clarifications on how this exchange of enclaves is to take place. It had advised caution on India’s part in dealing with this sensitive issue. According to BJP leaders, there are apprehension that in a bid to appease the neighbouring country, India may concede more territory than it gets in exchange. Moreover, government has not clarified if those living in these enclaves will be asked to cross the border to the country whose citizenship they hold or there will be demarcation of territory, they said. PTI