The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) landmark electoral victory in West Bengal is set to address long-standing “vulnerabilities” along the India-Bangladesh border, according to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Following the BJP’s success on Monday, Sarma highlighted that the political shift would allow for the closure of critical security gaps. The BJP secured a decisive 207 of the state’s 294 assembly seats.
Sarma pointed out that West Bengal shares the longest border with Bangladesh among Indian states, reports NDTV.
He noted that while the Border Security Force (BSF) remains effective and border fencing is largely present in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Assam, and Tripura under the NDA government, the West Bengal portion has remained a significant exception.
Sarma claimed that the previous TMC administration had failed to make land available for the necessary fencing, leaving the frontier open to exploitation.
“Any criminal committing a crime in Assam can also enter Bangladesh through Bengal. If some people enter from Bangladesh and we send them back, they can re-enter through Bengal,” Sarma stated, describing the situation as a “very, very critical gap”.
He further noted that these missing links had made the region vulnerable to the smuggling of cows and counterfeit goods, as well as the unregulated movement of criminals.
The chief minister emphasised that the new government would now be able to secure the Siliguri corridor, commonly referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck”.
He asserted that it is vital for the five border states – Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, and West Bengal – to work coherently to ensure national security.
“This win will close those missing links,” Sarma said.
