Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly criticised the Bangladesh Government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’ remark about northeastern states saying that the statement was offensive and provocative. CM Sarma called upon the central government to develop better connectivity at the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ area to allow northeastern states to remain connected to India in case of eventualities like war.
“The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh so so-called interim Government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable. This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic “Chicken’s Neck” corridor. Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically,” said CM Sarma.
The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh so called interim Government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable. This remark underscores the… — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa)
The Assam CM further said that it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor. “Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chicken’s Neck, should be prioritized. Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation. Such provocative statements by Md Younis must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas,” he said.
The Assam CM’s remark came in the wake of Muhammad Yunus’ statement in China where he said that 7 northeastern states of India are landlocked with no connectivity to the sea and thus Bangladesh is the only ‘Guardian of the Ocean’ in this region. Yunus invited China to set up its economic base in the region as an extension.
Defence expert Praful Bakshi said that India created Bangladesh and did not take any cartographic advantage while creating Bangladesh. He said that Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan have, of late, been talking about the chicken’s neck (Siliguri corridor) and about strangling India and taking advantage.
“Now Bangladesh is saying that China must help and get into the seven landlocked Indian states, which depend on the Siliguri corridor… They don’t realise that we can do a similar thing on the opposite side of Bangladesh. We can cut across the sea and strangle them…Yunus is thinking that he will involve China in creating problems for the seven states, which they are already doing. Not just China, many other agencies are at work in the northeast,” said Bakshi.
The defence expert further said that Indian government will not go running to the media and create noise about it; the government has already gotten into the action. “Even Yunus knows what India is going to do…” he said.
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