Illegal Bangladeshi: AASU begins agitation

Suddenly the media in Assam pours the news, editorial and analysis on illegal Bangladeshis living in the state. The issue of hundred thousand migrants from Bangladesh comes alive after a historical judgment by the Guwahati High Court. The court observed in its verdicts that illegal Bangladeshis, who used to get Indian passports because of callous approach of police and passport authorities, were slowly becoming the 'king makers' in Assam, as many politicians started using them as their traditional vote banks.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

The All Assam Students Union (AASU), which initiated the historic Assam Agitation in early Eighties to deport the illegal Bangladeshis from the state, has once again risen for the occasion. Criticising the authorities for their failure to detect and deport the illegal Bangladeshis from Assam, the AASU leaders appealed the people of the state not to employ Bangladeshis in any domestic and industrial works.

They were supported by various other organisations including Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Assam and political parties like Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bharatiya Janata Party, who also come out with different campaigning against those millions of Bangladeshis illegally taking shelter in various parts of India.

The AASU leaders (President Shankar Prasad Ray, general secretary Tapan Gogoi and adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya) argue that the influx from Bangladesh have already increased the threat to the indigenous communities of the region. Moreover it has emerged as a threat to India's integrity and sovereignty with those infiltrators possessing the capacity to grab political power in Assam in near future. The student activists were also worried that the Jehadi elements might have entered Assam with the help of those Bangladeshis and could place the region at severe risk any time.

The students' organisation has already announced a series of agitational programmes in support of their demands to identify and deport the foreigners. It will begin from Wednesday (August 6), where the student activists will demonstrate in front of the regional passport office at Guwahati, as it was indicated in the court verdict that Bangladeshis received passport from the office with false document.

The next phase of programme will begin from August 10, where the students would organise public rallies in various parts of the state to describe about the threats of Bangladeshis. It will be followed by another demonstration beginning on the early morning (6 am) of August 14 to the time flag hoisting on August 15 on Independence Day to raise voice against both the governments at Dispur and New Delhi for their failure to implement the Assam Accord effectively. The Accord was signed between the agitating leaders and the central government on August 14, 1984. More public meeting and processions on August 20 and a torchlight rally on August 26 will follow it.

The development started with a landmark judgment of Guwahati High Court on July 23, where the court observed that Bangladeshis in Assam become the kingmakers. It added saying that a strong political will to free Assam from illegal Bangladeshis was the need of the hour. The judgment was passed while disposing the petitions of 61 petitioners after they were pronounced as foreigners by the respective Foreigners' Tribunals.

In one Md Kamaluddin's case, the court ruling said that he was in possession of a passport issued by the Pakistan government for his travel to Bangladesh. After coming to Bangladesh, he stealthily came to Assam, stayed back and even filed a nomination during the 1996 Assembly polls. This can happen only in Assam.

It also stated that in due course of time, the Bangladeshis had 'incorporated their names in the voters' lists on the basis of which they must have cast their votes'. Thus the petitioners and such other large number of Bangladeshis present in the State of Assam have a major role in electing the representatives both to the Legislative Assembly and Parliament and consequently, in the decision-making process towards building the nation. They have become the kingmakers, the judgment added.

The day, if phenomenon continues, is not far off, when the indigenous people of Assam, both Hindus and Muslims and other religious groups will be reduced to minorities in their own land and the Bangladeshis who are freely and merrily moving around the fertile land of Assam, will intrude upon the corridors of power, the court ruling warned, adding that neither the Centre nor the state governments can disown their foremost responsibility of defending the borders of the country, prevent any trespass and make the lives of citizens safe and secure.

The Sentinel, a Guwahati based English daily editorialised the issue of Indian passport, which was managed by some Bangladeshis on false pretexts, saying, "What is the ultimate proof of Indian citizenship if even a foreigner can get an Indian passport?" It also added, "A passport is a document issued by our government permitting us to travel to other countries….How many countries will agree to give us visas on our passports once it becomes known that even a foreigner or a terrorist from another country can acquire an Indian passport without verification?"

* The author of this article is a Guwahati based journalist and he contributes articles for a number of newspapers and portals based in different parts of the globe. His special focus areas remain the socio-political developments in Northeast India as well as in Burma, Bangladesh and Bhutan.