KOLKATA: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday asserted that Bengal would adopt Assam’s model of border security to prevent infiltration and promised closer regional cooperation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Purvodaya” vision for eastern India.Adhikari made the remarks after arriving in Guwahati to attend the swearing-in of the Himanta Biswa Sarmaled BJP govt of Assam. The Bengal CM, while congratulating NDA on its victory in Assam, stressed the importance of political partnership between the BJP govts in Bengal and the northeastern state.“The kind of work that has been done in Assam and Tripura in the interest of the nation will now be carried out by BJP in Bengal as well,” Adhikari said, drawing a direct comparison between Assam’s handling of border and infiltration issues and the saffron party’s roadmap for Bengal.Targeting the previous regime in Bengal, Adhikari said “appeasement politics” had weakened border management and national security. He said the Trinamool govt had failed to provide land to BSF to plug the unfenced stretches of the border Bengal shares with Bangladesh.“That (TMC) govt did not even provide land to BSF, raising serious questions about (its commitment to) national security,” he said. “As done by Assam, we will take all necessary measures to deal with illegal infiltrators and strengthen security along the Bangladesh border.”The remarks came hours after Adhikari announced in Kolkata his govt had initiated a process to transfer land to BSF to set up a border fence.Addressing the media after the first meeting of the new Bengal cabinet on Monday, Suvendu Adhikari said the land required for the border fence would be handed over to the Union home ministry within 45 days.Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Adhikari framed the emerging BJP-led eastern bloc as a larger regional development partnership. “Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Bihar and Sikkim will work together. We will work collectively to fulfil Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘Purvodaya’ and the development of eastern India,” he said.Adhikari was effusive in his praise for Himanta Biswa Sarma, describing the Assam CM as both a mentor and a close political associate. “Himanta ji is like an elder brother to me. I have learnt a lot from him and have shared a close relationship with him for a long time. He answers calls even at 1.30 in the night. He is extremely down to earth and far more experienced than me. I will certainly benefit from his experience and guidance,” Adhikari said. He credited Assam and Sarma for BJP’s electoral breakthrough in Bengal. “BJP’s victory in Bengal owes a great deal to Assam and to Himanta ji’s contribution,” he said.The CM also thanked BJP workers for their role in the party’s rise in Bengal while congratulating the people of Assam for handing NDA another mandate under Sarma’s leadership.
