Rajya Sabha okays Bill on land swap deal

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unanimously passed a historic Bill to operationalise the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh that provides for exchange of territories to settle the 41-year border issue.

 

The Constitution  Amendment Bill, which will allow the operationalisation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary agreement, was passed with full support from 181 members. The Bill will be taken up by Lok Sabha on Thursday. 

“This is an historic situation. We are going to implement the agreement after 41 years. I am happy that everyone supported the Bill,” said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj while moving the Bill in Rajya Sabha.

 

Talking about BJP’s opposition to the measure during UPA’s tenure, she said, “Earlier we had opposed it. We were told to include Assam, which has been done.” Contending that the Agreement will benefit both countries, she said the Union home ministry will be the nodal ministry for implementing it.

 

The Bill aims at giving effect to the acquiring of territories by India and transfer of territories to Bangladesh through retaining of adverse possession and exchange of enclaves in pursuance of the agreement of 1974.