Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s remarks on the Northeast triggered sharp political reactions on Tuesday with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemning the comments as offensive, while the Congress criticised the central government, claiming that it was due to India’s “weakened” foreign policy.
Former Manipur CM N Biren Singh also joined in, accusing the neighbouring country’s interim government of using the region as a strategic pawn.
Calling Bangladesh the “only guardian of the ocean” in the region, Yunus had urged China to extend its economic influence to his country, mentioning that India’s northeastern states being landlocked could prove to be an opportunity.
“The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh, the 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,” Sarma posted on X.
“Such provocative statements by Md Younis must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas,” he added.
Yunus apparently made the comment during his recent four-day visit to China. A video of it surfaced on social media on Monday.
“The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the seven sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” he said.
Sarma pointed out that this remark underscores the “persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor”.
He called for the prioritisation of exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to the rest of India, effectively bypassing the ‘Chicken’s Neck’.
“Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor,” he said.
Sarma said this may pose significant engineering challenges, but it can be achieved with “determination and innovation”.
The strategic Siliguri Corridor, called the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ for its shape, is a strip of land located in northern West Bengal, having a width of just over 20 km. This narrow strip, which connects the Northeast to the rest of India, is sandwiched between Nepal and Bangladesh, with Bhutan and China a few hundred km away.
Assam Jatiya Parishad’s (AJP) president Lurin Jyoti Gogoi and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan asserted that Bangladesh, which was born out of India’s benevolence, is a ”country that cannot conduct democratic elections on its own, where the Prime Minister flees in fear of mob attacks and has no standing to speak against a powerful nation like India”.
Stating that the interim government in Bangladesh was attempting to frame the Northeast as a “strategic pawn”, former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh asked Yunus to not make reckless comments about India as it is “not only unwise but also lead to consequences”.
“It is apparent that Md Yunus and his interim government in Bangladesh are attempting to frame the Northeast as a strategic pawn to serve their geopolitical ambitions. Such provocative and irresponsible statements are unbecoming of a leader, and I condemn his remarks in the strongest possible terms,” Singh, a BJP leader, said.
“Let it be made absolutely clear, India’s unity and territorial integrity are non-negotiable and cannot be challenged by anyone. Md Yunus must exercise restraint; making reckless comments about a nation like India is not only unwise, but will also lead to consequences he may come to regret,” he added.
“It is unfortunate that India’s foreign policy has weakened to the point where even a nation whose independence India actively supported is now leaning toward strategic opposition,” Gogoi, the MP of Jorhat in Assam, said in a post on X.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently wrote to Bangladesh on the occasion of its National Day, highlighting the ‘strong ties’ between the two nations. After that Muhammad Yunus’s recent remarks about Northeast India and China are deeply concerning and unacceptable, as they undermine India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the senior Congress leader said.
On Monday, Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma said letting go of the Chittagong port in present-day Bangladesh in 1947 was India’s “biggest mistake”, and made a pitch for a route to the ocean with the support of “indigenous people”.
“Mr Yunus may think he is the guardian of the ocean but the reality is he is a stop-gap leader at the age of almost 85. Let’s not forget Tripura is only a few miles away from the port,” he added.
During the regime of Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka allowed India to use its Chittagong Port through South Tripura’s Sabroom sub-division which is connected to the port through the Maitree bridge over River Feni. The port is around 75 kilometres from the Land Port in Sabroom. (PTI)
