TMC threatens to stall introduction of Bill on Indo-Bangla LBA

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress today decided to strongly oppose any plan to introduce a constitutional amendment bill on India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement during the winter session of parliament.

"TMC had earlier stalled introduction of the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Any attempt to introduce the Bill in the winter session will meet the same fate," a party MP told PTI after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee held a meeting here with her party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members ahead of the session starting on Thursday.

"TMC has reservations and wanted wider consultations because the issue involves giving large tracts of land from India to the neighbouring country," the MP said.

Referring to TMC's non-participation at the all-party meeting in New Delhi convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath yesterday, TMC MP Derek O'Brien told PTI that "we see little point attending rituals being conducted by a beleaguered government in Delhi. That is why, the party decided not to attend Monday's all-party meet".

The Land Boundary Agreement envisages exchange of 161 enclaves adversely held by India and Bangladesh in each other's territories and alterations of boundaries between the two countries at some places.