'Offensive': Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's sharp retort to Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus' Northeast ‘landlocked’ remark

NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday strongly condemned the statement made by Bangladesh government's chief advisor, Muhammad Yunus, claiming that Bangladesh is the "only guardian" of the Indian Ocean for the region, as the seven northeastern Indian states are "landlocked." Sarma called Yunus' comments "offensive".
"The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh's 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," Sarma said in a post on X.

Chief advisor to Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, during his four-day visit to China, invited Beijing to expand its presence in the region. He highlighted that India's seven northeastern states are landlocked and suggested that Bangladesh could serve as a key gateway to the ocean for the region.
In a widely shared video on social media, Yunus encouraged China to establish an economic base in Bangladesh, saying that Dhaka holds strategic access to the sea. He said, "Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters ... they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean."
Yunus further said, "We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world."
Responding to Yunus's statement, Assam CM said, "This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic “Chicken’s Neck” corridor. Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically."
Sarma also called for building alternative road routes to Northeast India. "Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor. Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chicken’s Neck, should be prioritized. Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation," he said.
Earlier, on Monday, the Congress party called Yunus's statement "very dangerous" for the security of the Northeast region and alleged that the government is not taking care of the region including Manipur. "Bangladesh is inviting China to encircle India. This attitude of the Bangladesh government is very dangerous for the security of our North East region. The government is not taking care of Manipur and China has already settled villages in Arunachal," Congress's head of media and publicity department Pawan Khera said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Our foreign policy is in such a pathetic state that the country, in whose creation India had a major role, is also today engaged in rallying against us," Khera added.
Khera's Congress colleague, Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, also criticized the government for its foreign policy.
"It is unfortunate that India’s foreign policy has weakened to the point where even a nation whose independence India actively supported is now leaning toward strategic opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently wrote to Bangladesh on the occasion of its National Day, highlighting the 'strong ties' between the two nations. After that Muhammad Yunus' recent remarks about Northeast India and China are deeply concerning and unacceptable, as they undermine India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," Gogoi said.