Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has blamed Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi for failing to secure a strategic corridor for the Northeast, stating that their leadership decisions isolated Assam from global trade. Speaking at the 10th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog, Sarma highlighted how historical missteps led to the region’s economic and infrastructural challenges.
Partition and Missed Opportunities
Sarma pointed out that pre-independence Assam was a thriving trade hub, with railway connectivity to Chittagong and Brahmaputra waterways linking Assam to global markets. However, the Partition of India in 1947 severed these trade routes, leaving Assam dependent on the Siliguri Chicken Neck corridor.
He criticized Nehru’s tacit acceptance of the Chittagong Hill Tracts being awarded to East Pakistan, despite appeals from local leaders. Similarly, he argued that Indira Gandhi missed a historic opportunity during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to negotiate a broader and more secure geographical corridor for the Northeast.
Reviving Connectivity Under Modi Government
Sarma emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Assam is reclaiming its role as a gateway to Southeast Asia. The government is actively working on:
- Reviving inland waterways to restore lost trade routes.
- Developing critical railway infrastructure for better connectivity.
- Implementing dedicated transport and logistics corridors to boost economic growth.
Future Outlook
The Assam CM stressed that bold leadership and strategic planning are essential to unlock the Northeast’s full potential. He called for freight subsidies, long-haul incentives for industries, and improved infrastructure to position Assam as a dynamic economic frontier.
