Sadhguru criticizes Siliguri Corridor handling, calls for urgent correction
Bengaluru: Amid renewed discussions and warnings from Bangladesh regarding the Siliguri Corridor, Sadhguru, founder of Isha Foundation, has spoken out, emphasizing the urgent need to address the strategic vulnerability of this narrow stretch of land connecting India’s northeastern states to the rest of the country.
Speaking to an audience in Bengaluru and responding to questions about statements made by Bangladesh’s interim government, Sadhguru remarked, “The Siliguri Corridor, nearly 78 years old, should have been corrected back in 1971.
If we had done so, the current crisis would not have arisen.” He further elaborated on the criticality of the corridor, popularly known as the “Chicken Neck,” calling it essential to fortify it, likening the process to nurturing a chicken into an elephant: “It is time to strengthen this passage decisively, and make it robust like an elephant.”
Sadhguru shared a video of his remarks on X, highlighting that the corridor’s strategic mismanagement traces back to India’s partition. “Perhaps in 1946-47, we did not have the authority to make changes to our borders.
But by 1972, we had the power, yet we did not act. Now, other nations are raising concerns and even issuing warnings, drawing public attention to this unresolved vulnerability,” he said.
He stressed that the corridor’s strategic anomaly, though decades old, can be corrected with the right focus. “This is only 78 years old; a few adjustments can make a significant difference.
We need to nurture it properly—like feeding a chicken well—and eventually transform it into something as strong and resilient as an elephant. Managing the chicken neck is easier than managing the elephant’s neck, once properly nurtured,” Sadhguru added.
His comments come at a time when geopolitical analysts are increasingly emphasizing the Siliguri Corridor’s significance for India’s national security and its connectivity to the northeastern states.
Sadhguru’s remarks underline the necessity of foresight and strategic planning to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and strengthen its border regions.
The Isha Foundation founder has previously been vocal on national security and development issues, combining spiritual perspectives with practical solutions. His critique of historical lapses serves as a reminder of the long-term implications of strategic inaction.
