Indo-Myanmar border to be fenced, free movement regime scrapped: Amit Shah

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that India's border with Myanmar will be fenced like the Indo-Bangladesh border, and the existing free movement regime (FMR) between the two countries scrapped.

Shah said that fencing will start soon, and the free movement of people from the Indo-Myanmar border will be restricted. The Union home minister, who was on a three-day tour to Meghalaya and Assam, took part in five events in Assam on Saturday, the last day of his visit.

While addressing the passing out parade of the first batch of the five newly-constituted Assam Police Commando battalions, he said, "The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to fence the entire India-Myanmar border like it has been done along the border with Bangladesh."

India and Myanmar share a 1,643-km long border in four states of northeast-Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The FMR allows people living in the border areas to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without obtaining any visa.

"Our government is reexamining the Free Movement Regime (FMR) provision that exists with Myanmar and now this facility, which allows free movement will be stopped," said Shah.

Earlier in September last year, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh had urged the Union government to stop the FMR along the Indo-Myanmar border to curb "illegal immigration".

The Union home minister stated that there have been a lot of changes in India's internal security scenario in the past 10 years since the government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office.

"There's been a 73% decrease in incidents of violence in northeast, Jammu & Kashmir and Naxal-affected areas in the past 10 years. It's a matter of happiness for all of us. In the past 5 years, there is big change in Assam's law and order situation," said Shah.

He said that almost all armed terror groups have signed peace agreements, youths have joined the mainstream, and the area covered under provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has also been reduced significantly.

Shah lauded the state government and Assam Police for action against drug trafficking. He also praised the present government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma for creating 100,000 jobs as promised in the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto in the 2021 assembly polls.

"Injustices were done by previous Congress governments in Assam. Families who lost thousands of youths due to insurgency are demanding justice and opposing Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Shah said.

Earlier in the day, Shah took part in the 60th raising day of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Tezpur and the 13th triennial conference of the All Bathou Mahasabha at Dekhiajuli and laid a wreath at the Shaheed Smarak in SSB Complex, Tezpur.

"The @SSB_INDIA has contributed profusely to the flame of Bharat's power with its valiance, endurance and sacrifices. Their efforts to make Bharat a security bulwark fulfilling PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision are commendable," Shah wrote on X.

In the evening, the Union home minister launched a book titled 'Assam's Braveheart Lachit Barphukan' and inaugurated the riverfront beautification project along the Brahmaputra in Guwahati.