India must fortify its weakest link, the Chicken’s Neck corridor: Retd. Lt. Gen Shekatkar

Guwahati, Mar 3: Amidst the disturbed situation in Bangladesh, India should augment security measures along the chicken's neck corridor connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country, security analyst Lt. Gen. DB Shekatkar (retd.) said.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, Lt Gen Shekatkar pointed out that the present regime of Bangladesh is becoming closer to Pakistan and China, and that is why India should try to secure its own borders. "Bangladesh is no longer a friendly country, and that is why India should be very careful and keep a close watch on the situation in the neighbouring country," he added.

Lt Gen Shekatkar pointed out that the chicken's neck corridor is the weakest link of India, and that is why India should do its best to augment the security of that area, as any disturbance in that area would be disastrous for the Northeast.

He said that the demography of the chicken's neck corridor has changed over the years because of the infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals, and India's enemies may try to use the infiltrators to create trouble in the area.

For years, India was soft towards Bangladesh because it was a friendly country. But that is no longer the case, and the security of the entire stretch of the India-Bangladesh border should be augmented, and the Border Security Force should be allowed to be ruthless with infiltrators.

"I have noticed a change of attitude of the Government of Assam towards foreigners, but all governments of states having international borders should work together in this regard in the interest of the country's security," he added.

Lt. Gen. Shekatkar, who fought in the 1971 war, said that today's generation of Bangladeshi youths have forgotten about India's role in the liberation of Bangladesh, which is "unfortunate.".

But India should overtly or covertly try to make them understand that Bangladesh became an independent nation only because of India. The former Indian Army officer also expressed the view that at present, India has three hostile neighbours—Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh. That is why the country should make all-out efforts to make the other neighbours, like Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc., come to India's side.

After some muscle flexing, Maldives has mellowed down, and it has come closer towards India, and India must ensure that the neighbours who are not inimical to India remain on our side, he added.

By

R Dutta Choudhury