Star Online Report
Amid
the alarming rise in jihadi activities in India, BJP leader Subramanian
Swamy talked tough on Saturday, insisting that Bangladesh should be
made to face the consequences if it refused to cooperate with India in
stopping illegal migration, reports an Indian English daily.
“I want some strong policy. I also want Bangladesh to cooperate and make it clear to them that they need to act on illegal migration. But if they do not cooperate, there should be consequences. You have to make Bangladesh feel that it is now time to stop illegal migration,” Swamy told journalists in Guwahati, the Indian Express reported.
Barely a hundred metres away from where he was talking, activists of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) were shouting slogans during a march in protest against increasing jihadi activities in the state and demanding a drive by the government against Bangladeshis and jihadi elements.
“Bangladesh should be made to feel the heat from this side... The only way we can tackle the problem is by taking retaliatory action against Bangladesh,” Swamy said.
In this regard, he took potshots at the Congress, accusing it of promoting jihad.
“The Congress has always promoted jihad in India. Their strategy was to divide the Hindus and unite the minorities. This election, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had specially met (Shahi) Imam to seek Muslim votes for the party. There was a time when a man like Sardar Patel was born in the Congress. But now those running the party are people who stoop before Pakistan. They are the ones who support elements waging jihad against the country,” the BJP leader alleged.
The AASU has always been vocal, demanding the implementation of the Assam Accord signed with the Centre in 1985. One of the clauses in the Accord is the sealing of India-Bangladesh border. But Swamy felt that illegal migration could not be solved by merely sealing the border. Had it been so, he argued, the influx of Mexicans into the US could have been stopped. He also felt that the Accord was now outdated and needed to be amended and updated.
The AASU said the immigration of Bangladeshis had changed Assam’s demographics and hence, it was imperative that the state govt and Centre launch a drive against the migrants.
This undated file photo shows BJP leader Subramanian Swamy talking to the media. Photo: Reuters
“I want some strong policy. I also want Bangladesh to cooperate and make it clear to them that they need to act on illegal migration. But if they do not cooperate, there should be consequences. You have to make Bangladesh feel that it is now time to stop illegal migration,” Swamy told journalists in Guwahati, the Indian Express reported.
Barely a hundred metres away from where he was talking, activists of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) were shouting slogans during a march in protest against increasing jihadi activities in the state and demanding a drive by the government against Bangladeshis and jihadi elements.
“Bangladesh should be made to feel the heat from this side... The only way we can tackle the problem is by taking retaliatory action against Bangladesh,” Swamy said.
In this regard, he took potshots at the Congress, accusing it of promoting jihad.
“The Congress has always promoted jihad in India. Their strategy was to divide the Hindus and unite the minorities. This election, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had specially met (Shahi) Imam to seek Muslim votes for the party. There was a time when a man like Sardar Patel was born in the Congress. But now those running the party are people who stoop before Pakistan. They are the ones who support elements waging jihad against the country,” the BJP leader alleged.
The AASU has always been vocal, demanding the implementation of the Assam Accord signed with the Centre in 1985. One of the clauses in the Accord is the sealing of India-Bangladesh border. But Swamy felt that illegal migration could not be solved by merely sealing the border. Had it been so, he argued, the influx of Mexicans into the US could have been stopped. He also felt that the Accord was now outdated and needed to be amended and updated.
The AASU said the immigration of Bangladeshis had changed Assam’s demographics and hence, it was imperative that the state govt and Centre launch a drive against the migrants.
Published: 12:54 pm Sunday, November 23, 2014
Last modified: 8:12 pm Sunday, November 23, 2014
