Illegal Bangladeshi migrants cause of discord: N-E leaders

Booklet on harmony among tribals, Hindus and Muslims released

Some indigenous organisations in the North-East have said that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are the root of the discord in the region as, traditionally, the natives of Assam, including tribals, Hindus and Muslims, have lived in peace even during Partition.

“The traditional socio-fabric of Assam has been marked by amity between all communities, indigenous Hindus, indigenous Muslims and tribals and no communal riot among such community has happened till date and withstood even the rigours of Partition. And it is only the illegal migrants who are at the root of discord in the North-East,” says a booklet released by MP S K Bwiswmuthiary on Saturday on the illegal immigration in Assam.

The booklet, titled “Illegal migration in Assam & The North East – Essential Facts,” suggests that the government should implement Assam Accord of 1985 that clearly outlined that immigrants from Bangladesh will be entitled to citizenship if they came to this side of the border before March 24, 1971.

The demography has changed in Assam owing to illegal immigration from Bangladesh as nine out of 23 districts have Muslim majority, the booklet says giving district-wise breakup of population growth since 1951. It also says that the migrants are taking advantage of the government rehabilitation plan after the recent violence that claimed about 90 lives to join relief camps and get benefits.

The people of North-East, says the booklet, gave up their valuable rights to accept illegal immigrants between 1950 to 1971, which was 21 years beyond the cut-off date accepted by the Indian government for giving citizenship post-Partition. The Citizenship Act stated that no illegal migrant after January 26, 1950, will be entitled to citizenship.Senior lawyer Upamanyu Hazarika, instrumental in putting together this fact sheet, which he claims would dispel many myths about Assam, said that governments over the years have played politics to stop infiltration in the region.

Claiming people are trying to give Assam violence a communal colour so that the real issue gets buried, Hazarika states that the Supreme Court in two judgments had laid bare the facts on illegal immigration by scuttling the government’s attempts to protect immigrants for electoral gains.

According to him, the SC in its judgment quashing Illegal Migrants (determination by Tribunal) Act of 1983, said that “there can be no manner of doubt that the state of Assam is facing “external aggression and internal disturbance” on account of large-scale illegal migration of Bangladeshi nationals. It, therefore, becomes the duty of the Union of India to take all measures for protection of the state of Assam...as enjoined in Article 355 of the Constitution”.

The students union of Dimasa, Tirpura, Karbi and Bodos, and Manipuri Diaspora, Nepali Sanskrit Parishad and North East Sanstha came together to publish the booklet.