Bangladeshi Influx: Security Implications
14 Jun, 2000 · 366
Wg. Cdr. N.K. Pant points out the dangers posing Indian security due to heavy influx of the Bangladeshis, especially in Assam
Governor of
Assam
Lt Gen SK Sinha (Retd) sometime back had submitted a detailed report to
New Delhi
warning the Centre on the enormity of the Bangladeshi infiltration into
Assam
. These illegal migrants posed far greater threat in
Assam
and
West Bengal
compared to other states leading to strategic and economic crisis. The presence of such a huge population of unlawful immigrants has put a severe strain on already overpopulated country’s scanty resources. A sizable chunk of manual and even white collar jobs were being cornered by them depriving bona fide Indian citizens of legitimate scope of employment. The problem of infiltration is no longer confined to the eastern region, the pressure is being felt as far as
Delhi
and Mumbai. The demographic invasion from across the eastern borders has not only endangered the social, cultural and political harmony but has very serious implications for the nation’s security. Ironically authorities in
Dacca
refuse to acknowledge this naked fact. According to them there are no Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in
India
.
North
Eastern
States
and
West Bengal
. The Pakistani agency was not only using West Bengal as a corridor to the North Eastern region where it was supplying arms to the insurgents but the Muslim dominated border districts of other Eastern States were also getting its increasing attention.
Assam
from Muslim dominated
East Bengal
had started in the pre-Independence days when the Muslim League used to be the ruling party in that state. The ultimate aim seemed to be to transform it into a Muslim majority region in order to facilitate its amalgamation into
East Pakistan
. That these sinister moves of the Muslim League were foiled by leaders from the
Brahmaputra
Valley
speaks volumes of their political acumen and foresight. But what these unquestioned builders of modern
Assam
could not prevent all along was the unabated pouring in of uninvited hordes from across the eastern borders which sadly continues till today. The blame for this squarely rests with
New Delhi
since it is the responsibility of the Central Government to safeguard the international borders. The Centre’s ineptitude resulted in 219 percent growth in Muslim population in the state between 1951 and 1971 which is frightening indeed.
India
’s borders with
Bangladesh
do not get similar attention which is usually reserved for our western borders which have faced Pakistani military attacks in the past. But it must be understood that the portents of ongoing demographic aggression are equally dangerous. Time has now come to start erecting border fencing along the
Bangladesh
borders on war footing as it could keep a check on illegal immigrants. Sufficient stress needs to be laid on building communications, augmenting of security posts and all weather roads along the international borders to facilitate patrolling by the Border Security Force and state police. Incidentally, the forthcoming census in 2001 offers the authorities a good chance to detect the foreign nationals in West Bengal, Assam and other affected North Eastern states and can be made use of provided there is the required political will to face the so called charges of harassment of minorities at the Central and State levels.
Here it will not be out of place to mention that the military intelligence a couple of years back had unearthed an ISI plot of pushing Bangladeshi Muslims into India with a view to swelling their numbers in the border districts of Assam and West Bengal. The aim was to tilt the demographic balance heavily in their favour so as to create in the long run fertile religious grounds for demand for a new pro-Pakistan state . The ISI seems to be succeeding in its nefarious designs as the demographic equilibrium has been disturbed to a great extent rendering the original inhabitants a minority in their own land. According to military sources, ISI is steadily spreading its wings in
Moreover, to compound the problem further, it has been given a complete communal ruse wherein identification of infiltrators is being termed as harassment of minorities. Not only some political organisations have been formed to fight for infiltrators’ rights but few minority dominated armed militant outfits have reportedly sprung up notably in the north east giving a perilous twist to already complicated state of insurgency in the region. Defence Minister George Fernandes had once admitted in parliament about possibility of ISI agents getting recruited in the nation’s armed forces. The military recruiting authorities in the north east had also reportedly detected several cases of suspected foreign nationals’ recruitment into the army on the forged citizenship papers.
In fact the well orchestrated process of migrating to border districts of
If the nation does not sufficiently apply its mind to the ever growing demographic menace, the situation can become explosive, severely jeopardizing Indian security interests. Though various schemes such as border fencing, issuance of Identity cards and even work permits have been mooted from time to time but have not been acted upon. Incidentally,
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