A REPORT from New Delhi was published in the back page of a local English-language daily on May 8. It only confirmed that the Teesta deal is in the backburner of Indian agenda. This is the first negative step to shrug off the deal taken by India. Imagine, the Indian government is powerless, and only West Bengal can say 'yes’ or ‘no’ to the deal. This seems to be the opening chapter of the Indian delaying saga to befool Bangladesh.
Quite simply, our foreign minister has been taken far a ride by the Indian foreign minister. Despite all the empty reassurances (palpably false) that the Himalayan river system is not a part of their river-interlinking projects. This false assumption was published in an article in the same daily the previous day on May 7.
Our gullible ‘so friendly attitude to India’, however, swallows whatever the ‘elder brother’ says without question. Regarding timeframe, the Indian reply to us, the poor pitiable ‘small boy’, was we are trying to get a consensus, which will continue from ‘here to eternity’ while the poor ‘small boy’ keeps sucking his thumb in futile and frustrating anticipation.
Politically, India can ignore all those matters which are not in their interest. Example, recall how quickly the ‘transit deal’ is being finalised for signature at which we go along without any consensus.
The poor ‘small boy’ is lost in wonderland, not knowing what to do.
On this issue of sharing Teesta water, we must approach the International Court of Justice so that like the sea boundary, it is decided on an impartial international level. Who knows India can even defy international decisions, too.
A conscious citizen
Dhaka