Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sharply slammed “Bangladesh’s so-called interim government” and its chief advisor, Professor Muhammad Yunus, for his “offensive and strongly condemnable” remarks about Northeast India being “landlocked.”
Sarma stated that Yunus’ comments bring attention to the “persistent vulnerability narrative” surrounding India’s strategic “Chicken’s Neck” corridor.
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This criticism came a day after the interim government of Bangladesh shared video clips of Yunus’ speech, in which he advocated for the “extension of the Chinese economy.”
During his four-day visit to China last week, Yunus also claimed that Bangladesh serves as the “only guardian of the ocean for all this region.”
The Congress party also condemned Yunus’ statement, which suggested that Northeast India, particularly its seven northeastern states, is reliant on Bangladesh for ocean access.
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In the videos, Yunus is heard saying, “Seven states of India, the eastern part of India, called the Seven Sisters… they are a landlocked country, a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma responded strongly on X, writing, “The statement made by Md Yunus of Bangladesh, the so-called interim government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable.”
Himanta Biswa Sarma warned that such provocative remarks from Md Yunus should not be ignored, as they reflect deeper strategic concerns and long-standing agendas. He added that these comments carry significant implications.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic advisory council, also questioned Yunus’ focus on Northeast India.
In a post on X, Sanyal remarked, “It’s interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to China based on the claim that seven states in India are landlocked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of these seven Indian states being landlocked?”