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Illegal migrants - a security threat

Illegal migrants - a security threat

Author:
Publication: The Tribune India
Date: October 13, 2000

Massive influx of Bangladeshi nationals into the eastern frontier areas of Bihar and their illegal occupation of government and private lands has disturbed the social peace.  The communal politics in this part and the use of these illegal migrants as the 'agents' of the ISI have affected the strategic interests of India.

The apathy of the state government in dealing with the Bangladeshi migration issue and the patronage by the political heavyweights for their petty ends has made the scenario explosive.  The local administration is hand in glove with the ISI and the smugglers use these migrants as "conduits and shield" to carry out their nefarious trade.

It is estimated that around 19 lakh Bangladeshi nationals are illegally settled in four districts of Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj of Bihar.  They are most abundantly settled in Kishanganj district.  The state government admits of only 5,000 illegal migrants but there are more than one lakh of them whose names are in the voters' list.  The district is notorious as "mini Pakistan" and Pakistani flags and national anthem are openly flaunted here.  The four districts are said to be the ISI haven and the stronghold of cross-border smugglers and arms Mafiosi.

A smuggler, Razaq, was yesterday arrested at Kishanganj with 650 gms.  of brown sugar worth Rs 50 lakh.  He is alleged to be involved in RDX and arms trade.  This only is a tip of the iceberg.  The starved Bangladeshi immigrants are easy pray to the ISI and smugglers who use them as front men in their nefarious operations.  As they constitute a political force, the local administration and politicians are prompt to come to their rescue and help.  There are number of criminal cases registered in the local police stations against the Bangladeshi nationals.

Though the Central Government has initiated the move to identify these immigrants, numbering around 1.5 crores in India, and deport them back to their homeland, nothing concrete has been done so far.  India has a common boundary of around 1100 km with Bangladesh.  The nationals cross the boundary from Malda, Siliguri, Murshidabad and Dinajpur areas of West Bengal and enter Bihar.  Over the years, Muslim population in these Bihar districts has arisen sharply owing to the influx and the ISI is said to be cashing on this situation.  The separatist tendencies are being fanned and communal politics has consolidated its hold.

The local administration is making hay in nexus with the ISI and politicians.  The illegal immigrants are issued ration cards, their names are entered in the voters' list and they are settled on the government lands.

The immigrants are now in a such a powerful position that they terrorise the original inhabitants and threaten to forcibly convert their religion.  Many of them are forced to flee and sell their property to the immigrants.  The local administration and state government is oblivious of all this.
 


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