Border skirmish; Designs of 'greater Bangla' exposed : BJP

SHILLONG, April 25: The Bangla intrusions into Pyrdiwah village in Meghalaya has exposed the sinister designs of Bangladesh to create a 'greater Bangladesh', BJP general secretary in-charge of Northeast Border Area States, P B Acharya has warned. Speaking to newsmen here today, he cautioned that the entire country should remain fore-warned by the intrusions by a supposedly 'friendly' country. The incident is only the 'tip of the iceberg' and is an indication of the serious threat to the security and integrity of the entire Northeastern region, Acharya contended. 'The threat is really serious considering the fact that the enemy is behind our lines', he said while referring to the large-scale presence of Bangladeshi infiltrators in all States in the region. Returning from a visit to Pyrdiwah, the BJP leader expressed shock at the total lack of infrastructure in the border areas gravely affecting the capability of the BSF in border management.' There is no power, water, telephone facilities even at Dawki, an important trading town closeby.' Demanding immediate strengthening of the border, he expressed surprise that the BSF post at Pyrdiwah had a strength of only 20 men and was meant only to check infiltration and smuggling and was not equipped to tackle an intrusion by Bangladesh. Coming to the Assembly elections in Assam, Acharya said 'the BJP is joining hands with the AGP in order to save Assam and the Northeast from the clutches of the Bangladeshi infiltrators.' He accused the Congress with playing a dangerous game by converting the infiltrators into their vote banks.