‘India’s unity and territorial integrity non-negotiable’: Biren Singh slams Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus over Northeast remark | India News
NEW DELHI: Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday strongly condemned Bangladesh’s interim government’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of attempting to frame Northeast as a “strategic pawn” to serve geopolitical interests.
Singh warned Yunus against making reckless comments about India, saying that such remarks were “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 also lead to consequences he may come to regret,” he added.
Yunus reportedly made these comments during his four-day visit to China, a video of which 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,” Yunus said.
Earlier in the day, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also slammed Yunus’ statement, calling it “offensive and strongly condemnable.” He pointed out the need to explore alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to the rest of India to bypass the strategically vulnerable ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor.
“This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with the strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor,” Sarma said.
“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 added.
Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma also weighed in on the issue, arguing that India’s decision to relinquish the Chittagong port in 1947 was a “biggest mistake” and called for securing an ocean route with the support of indigenous communities.
“Time for India to make a route to the ocean by supporting our indigenous people who once ruled Chittagong so we are no longer dependent on an ungrateful regime. India’s biggest mistake was to let go of the port (Chittagong) in 1947 despite the hill people living there wanting to be a part of the Indian Union,” Debbarma said.
Taking a dig at Yunus, he added, “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.”
