During the passing out parade of Assam Police commandos in Guwahati, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made an announcement that the Central government is planning to erect a fence along the India-Myanmar border, akin to the barriers implemented along the India-Bangladesh border, as part of an initiative to control unrestricted movement into the country.
Amit Shah disclosed this development while addressing the audience, asserting that the Free Movement Regime (FMR), which currently allows individuals residing near the India-Myanmar border to travel up to 16 km into each other's territory without requiring a visa, would soon come to an end.
Speaking specifically at the event in Guwahati, Amit Shah conveyed, "India's border with Myanmar will soon be protected like the border with Bangladesh," assuring the people of Assam about the government's decision to install fencing along the open border with Myanmar.
Elaborating further, he stated, "The government is also reconsidering India's Free Movement Regime (FMG) agreement with Myanmar and will soon end the free movement into India."
India shares a 1,643-km-long border with Myanmar, traversing states such as Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. All these states currently operate under the Free Movement Regime, which was implemented in 2018 as part of India's Act East policy.
Amit Shah's announcement comes in the wake of heightened security concerns raised by India with Myanmar, particularly addressing challenges along the border, including the influx of Myanmarese refugees into the country.
In addition to border-related matters, Amit Shah seized the opportunity to criticize the previous Congress regime during his speech, asserting that individuals had to resort to paying bribes for government jobs under its tenure. He emphasized that no such financial transactions were necessary for employment under the BJP rule.
Touching upon the upcoming consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Amit Shah expressed his sentiments about Lord Ram returning home after 550 "disrespectful" years. Describing it as a matter of pride for the entire nation, he noted that the 'pran pratishthan' ceremony coincided with a transformative period for the country on its journey toward becoming a superpower.
