NEW DELHI, July 18 ? Notwithstanding the Congress-ruled Assam Government?s unease, the UPA Government?s hands are tied, as the estimates of illegal Bangladeshi migrants given by the Union Minister of State for Home was based on the Report of the Group of Minister?s (GoM) on Internal Security that was adopted by Government of India. But the UPA Government has tried to cut down on the figures of estimates given by the GoMs. ?Today we have about 1.50 crore (150 million) Bangladeshis, 2.2 million Nepalese, 70,000 Sri Lankan Tamils and about 1 lakh Tibetans migrants living in India,? the GoM Report had stated. Last week, the Union Home Ministry estimated that over 1.20 crore illegal Bangladeshi migrants were living in India. Both figures including the GoM report was based on estimates of 2001.
While the report of Assam being home to 50 lakh illegal Bangladeshis might be fraught with serious political implications for Sri Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, but what has the potential to devastate him is another part of the Internal Security report that says that politically the Bangladeshi migrants are in a position to influence the results in 32 percent of the constituencies in Assam. Simply put illegal Bangladeshi migrants hold sway over 40 seats out of 126 Assembly constituencies.
It was in February 2001 that this newspaper had reported that Government of India for the first time ever came out with an estimate of number of illegal migrants present in the country, the GoM had reported that the post-1971 illegal migration from Bangladesh into various States of the North-East is estimated to be in the order of approximately 1.20 crore (12 million). The GoM had refrained then from giving the State-wise figures, which Minister of State for Home Affairs, Sriprakash Jaiswal gave out, landing Sri Gogoi in an embarrassing position.
The next part of the GoM recommendation had made the Congress Party see red. The Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act 1983 was enacted for facilitating effective action against illegal migrants. Ironically, it served the opposite purpose of retarding the deportation of illegal migrants, it said. ?The IMDT Act should, therefore, be repealed and action taken against illegal migrants uniformly under the Foreigner?s Act. It is noted that a proposal to repeal the IMDT Act is already under consideration of Government of India,? the Report said.
The GoM comprising the then Home Minister, LK Advani, who was the chairman, included George Fernandes, Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha as members, reported that demographic changes have been brought about in the border belts of West Bengal, several districts in Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya as a result of large-scale illegal migration. Even States like Delhi, Maharasthra and Rajasthan have been affected. ?There is an all-round failure in India to come to the grips with the problem of illegal immigration. Unfortunately, action on this subject invariably assumes communal over-tones with political parties taking positions to suit the interest of their vote banks. The massive illegal immigration poses a grave danger to our security, social harmony and economic well-being,? it had commented.
The UPA Government is likely to tread cautiously on the issue because CPI-M-ruled West Bengal Government is serious about the issue and as recently as last week its Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharyya met Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil to discuss among other issues illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, which has led to spurt in decadal population growth rate. The report by the Home Ministry that West Bengal has the highest number of 57 lakh illegal Bangladeshi isn?t going to be taken lightly by the State Government.
The Report that has since been adopted formally by the Union Cabinet said that law-and-order problems of the North-East have been aggravated by large-scale unchecked migration from Bangladesh. Then the next portion of the report was expunged on security grounds. The report then went on to note that lately attacks on the new immigrants by tribals have increased. Fundamentalist groups like the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) have engaged themselves in organising the Muslim youths to counter the attacks. Some have been given training in handling of arms. The problems of security in the Siliguri Corridor needs no emphasis, GoM Report on Reforming the National Security System said. The report had also noted that settlements of Bangladeshis were coming up along either side of the Indo-Bhutan border. Many of them are reportedly seeking jobs and employment in the Bhutanese territory, in the garb of Indian citizens. ?This is another reason to closely monitor the Indo-Bhutan border?.
Illegal migration has assumed serious proportions. There should be compulsory registration of citizens and non-citizens living in India. This will facilitate preparation of a national register of citizens. All citizens should be given a multi-purpose national identity card (MPNIC) and non-citizens should be issued identity cards of a different colour and design, it was recommended. The MPNIC should be introduced initially in the border districts within a 20 km border belt and extended to the hinterland progressively. The Central government should meet the full cost of the identity card scheme. A work permit for foreigners scheme may be introduced, it was further recommended.
It may be noted here that a proposal for introduction of MPNIC scheme is already under consideration, with several border districts in Assam and Tripura in North-East being included in the pilot project. Children born to illegal immigrants living in India are entitled to claim Indian citizenship by virtue of their birth on Indian soil. Therefore, in principle, Indian Citizenship Act should be amended prohibiting acquisition of citizenship rights by the children of illegal migrants born in India before August 1987. This would also meet the stipulations of Assam Accord, GoM recommended. However, according to advice of the Ministry of Law, the provision can only be introduced with prospective effect. The MHA should take necessary action, it said.