INFILTRATION FROM BANGLADESH
Pressure of Public Opinion Urgently Needed Against Illegal Immigration
• Assam is facing "external aggression" and "internal disturbance" on account of large scale illegal migration of Bangladeshi Nationals.
• It, therefore, becomes the duty of union of India, to take all measures for protection of the state of Assam from such external aggression and internal disturbance as enjoined in article 355 of the constitution.
• These are the observations of the Supreme Court of India, which recently declared the provisions of IMDT Act ( Illegal Migrants- Determination by Tribunals Act) of 1983 and illegal migrants rule 1984 to be ultra virus of the constitution of India and therefore struck them down.
• The provisions of IMDT Act were heavily tilted in favour of illegal immigrants.
(a) Every application made against any person was to be accompanied by affidavits sworn by two people.
(b) It should be accompanied by prescribed fee.
(c) The onus of proof was to lie with the complainant.
• An immigrant got so much time at various stages that he could conveniently disappear whenever be found that action was going to be against him. Detection and deportation under the Act became extremely slow process.
• The present Congress Government of Assam, however, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court to the effect that the IMDT Act was not protecting the interests of Bangladeshis as perceived by the former AGP regime., The submission was a masterpiece of hypocrisy. It was mainly to gain short term political mileage without national interest.
• The massive illegal immigration poses a grave danger to our security, social harmony and economic well being.
• The salient features of the Supreme Court judgement are:-
1.The influx of Bangladeshi nationals has changed the demographic character of the region and the local people of Assam have been reduced to a minority in certain districts.
2.The presence of such a large number of illegal migrants amounts to an 'aggression' on the state of Assam.
• The phenomenon affects the sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland etc.
• The Bangladeshi nationals, who have illegally crossed the border and have trespassed into Assam are living in other parts of the country have no legal right of any kind to remain in India and they are liable to be deported.
• The Government of each state has always the right to compel foreigners, who are found within its territory to go away, by having them taken to the frontier.
• But there are serious doubts about Assam, where the congress government's attitude and policies are influenced by vote bank considerations.
Beware:- Mujibur Rehman said openly in a meeting "East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, must have a significant land for its expansion and because Assam has abundant forest and mineral resources, coal, petroleum etc. East Pakistan must annexe Assam so that EAst Pakistan is financially and economically strong".
Thinks:- King of Bhutan, with great personal courage, with the help of India drove out ULFA from his country. Can we drive out illegal immigrants from our soil?
Act:- In a democracy, much will depend on the pressure built up by the masses on the ruling government.