BJP writes to PM Manmohan Singh, wants halt to fencing work along border with Myanmar

NEW DELHI: BJP has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop fencing work along Myanmar border in Manipur, claiming such an exercise will leave huge tracts of Indian land into Myanmar territory.

The party suggested setting up of a joint committee of Union and state Home department to demarcate border pillars and landmark water and river divides.

In a letter to Prime Minister Singh, BJP President Rajnath Singh said there should be demarcation of unsettled portion of boundary pillars along the Manipur sector with people's participation from both countries at the earliest as constructing the boundary fencing will leave huge tracts of Indian land into Myanmar territory.

Rajnath Singh said that after demarcation of "acceptable" boundary line and re-identification of boundary poillars, fencing should be constructed as per international convention abandoning 10 metres on each side.

"Immediately stop the border fencing work as it leaves huge tract of land on Myanmar side which has traditionally been ours. The current fencing portion is exactly on the position of unsettled boundary line of the Indo-Myanmar international boundary line. This kind of boundary fencing seems to be neglecting and surrendering a huge area of our land to Myanmar," Singh said in a letter to the PM.

"Constitution of a Committee (jointly between MHA abnd State Home Department) to translate and describe the location of the border pillars and border landmark water divides, frontier streams and rivers into easily legible names and language for better protection of the international boundary along the state and for bettering public confidence," he said.