DEALING WITH BANGLADESH

In the present situation, when Bangladesh is in turmoil and Minority Hindu community there is being targeted in a genocide, India can justifiably call for the provision of one or even more safe, autonomous territories to be set aside for them, or even for the partitioning of Bangladesh into two or more independent territories, as practical, for providing safe regions for the Hindus and also the other minorities.

This should be acceptable to all, as it has failed to provide equal rights to the Minorities and, as the very concept of Bangladesh / erstwhile East-Pakistan, was based on a similar concept calling for Partition. Also, similar partitions were done in Europe when Czechoslavia was divided into Czech and Slovakia, and in the case of Georgia, Sudan and Somalia and many other countries.

Ofcourse, the on-going operations and conflicts within Bangladesh with internal elements and along its borders with others, accord us the opportunity to re-draw our border with Bangladesh to resolve the ‘Chicken-Neck’ corridor, that limits access to our North-East Region, and thereby remove a major threat to our Country’s unity and also allow for greater development of the region. In view of the many enclaves of areas and villages of one country in the other, not only first order enclaves, but also second and even third order enclaves, in which the enclaves had other enclave within them, on which we reached a fragile and not so effective solution after 68 years, a proper redrawing of the Border with Bangladesh is a priority. (Also see – Projects – connecting the North-East to the Bay of Bengal.)

DEALING WITH OTHER NEIGHBOURS

So too, with our other neighbours Nepal, Tibet, SriLanka, Myanmar and Bhutan. With these countries too we need to settle or even re-draw our borders to remove any of the errors or the contentious issues of old borders drawn haphazardly by the withdrawing British, many a time dividing existing communities and, finalize them so as to properly resolve all such errors and issues, especially also, in view of the regional conflicts within their existing borders with breakaway factions. The old colonizers drawn borders vide the McMahan, Durand, and Radcliffe Lines, have clearly lost their validity and usefulness.

We should work with some of such Break-Away factions, by recognizing their status as independent countries, once they break-away, and even help finalise their borders, especially in the case of Baluchistan which was an independent Country, occupied by Pakistan via a military action in 1948.

The cooperative / collaborative Manthan policy can be implemented with all these neighbouring countries. They all share a common cultural heritage with ancient India.

If today, they seek some sort of Special Relationship with India, without surrendering their Sovereignty, on the lines of the European Union, then we can work out a common financial basis/currency, a Free-Trade agreement and also a system of visa-less access and a work permit, renewable every year or as deemed appropriate. Taxes to be paid in the country where they work. Common Defence and Foreign Affairs Treaties or Arrangements can also be considered.

Setting up Enterprises in each country will need proper regulation and must incorporate the rules agreed to under the Manthan Policy.

We should also, negotiate with Myanmar for proper settlement of our common border and the return of the Coco islands, earlier transferred to them by Prime Minister Nehru without Parliamentary sanction and since leased by Myanmar to China leading to a security risk to India.

Similarly, we should negotiate with Sri Lanka for the return of the Katchatheevu island which was also handed over to them without proper Parliamentary sanction, leading to a continuous friction between the two countries,or atleast re-negotiate the Agreement, for the benefit of both Countries and their fishermen.

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