Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday strongly condemned remarks made by Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who claimed that Bangladesh is the "only guardian" of the Indian Ocean for the northeastern region of India, asserting that the seven northeastern states are "landlocked." Sarma labeled Yunus' comments as "offensive and strongly condemnable."
Taking to social media platform X, Sarma said, "The statement made by Md Yunus 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."
During a four-day visit to China, Yunus invited Beijing to expand its economic presence in the region, arguing that Bangladesh serves as a strategic maritime gateway for India’s northeastern states. In a widely circulated video, Yunus is heard stating, "Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called Seven Sisters ... they are landlocked ... They have no way to reach out to the ocean. We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. 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."
CM Sarma Warns Against 'Vulnerability Narrative'
Reacting sharply to these remarks, Sarma highlighted the longstanding strategic concerns associated with the “Chicken’s Neck” corridor—the narrow Siliguri Corridor connecting Northeast India to the rest of the country. "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 remarked.
The Assam CM also called for urgent infrastructure development to counter such vulnerabilities. "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 added.
Congress Calls Yunus’ Statement a Threat to National Security
Meanwhile, the Congress party also condemned Yunus’ statement, calling it a serious security concern for India. Congress media department head Pawan Khera took to X, stating, "Bangladesh is inviting China to encircle India. This attitude of the Bangladesh government is very dangerous for the security of our Northeast region. The government is not taking care of Manipur, and China has already settled villages in Arunachal."
Khera further criticized India’s foreign policy, saying, "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."
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