New Delhi, Jan 05: Taking a serious view of militants
in north-eastern states using Bangladesh as a safe haven, the
government today decided to speed up its efforts to fence the
borders with the eastern neighbour.
The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the plans submitted
by the Home Ministry for quickly erecting a fence along the
4,094-km-long borders with Bangladesh, government sources said
here.
The idea of hastening the fencing is to prevent
anti-India elements using Bangladesh to infiltrate into
north-eastern states and engage in violent acts, causing loss
of lives and property.
India has already fenced its 198-km international border
(IB) and the 778-km Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan on the
western front and the move has helped in restricting
infiltration of militants into Jammu and Kashmir in recent
years.
Attended among others by External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony, the meeting also
discussed the emerging security scenario in the wake of
Pakistan's reluctance to act against the anti-India terror
groups operating from its soil.
It also reviewed the situation in Assam after the recent
bomb blasts in Guwahati and the involvement of ULFA elements
in them, sources added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, January 05, 2009, 00:00