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.
