Assam's Citizenship Crisis from Illegal Infiltration, Part-3

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The Complete Story of the Citizenship Crisis Created by Illegal Infiltration in Assam, Part-1

The Complete Story of the Citizenship Crisis Created by Illegal Infiltration in Assam, Part-2

Within the borders of India itself, 2 thousand kilometers away from the capital Delhi, lies another region—the Northeast. A world wrapped in rivers amidst natural diversity. In terms of natural beauty, the states of the Northeast are second to no tourist destination in the world. Nature bestowed every gift upon the Northeast, but even 70 years after independence, the states of Northeast India remain significantly backward compared to other states of the country. There are 7 states in the Northeast, known as the '7 Sisters'. Besides Assam, the other 6 sisters are Meghalaya, Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, and Mizoram. A passion for independence and autonomy has dominated all these states.

Population Explosion of Infiltrator Muslims

Not only Assam, but West Bengal and Bihar have also not remained untouched by Bangladeshi infiltration. Decades ago, Guru Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak (head of the RSS) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, cautioned the nation, stating that given the manner in which immigration from Bangladesh was underway in Assam, if it continued unabated, the day would not be far when our Assam would become part of Greater Bangladesh. His prophecy proved true. According to the 2001 census, the population of Bangladeshi Muslims in various districts of Assam was as follows: Dhubri 74 percent, Goalpara 54 percent, Barpeta 59 percent, Hailakandi 58 percent, Karimganj 52 percent, Nagaon 51 percent, Morigaon 48 percent, Darrang 36 percent, Bongaigaon 39 percent, and Cachar 36 percent. From 2001 to 2017, one can estimate how dreadful the situation must have become. Examining the decadal population figures of the state reveals that in every census, the Muslim population has grown extraordinarily.

All States of the Northeast Afflicted by Bangladeshi Infiltration

It is not just Assam, but the entire Northeast India that suffers from this problem of Bangladeshi infiltration. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on almost all sides and is also troubled by illegal immigration. In Manipur as well, echoes of infiltration through Assam's Cachar district and other routes are heard. Infiltrators now account for one-fourth of Manipur's population. The situation is similar in Nagaland. Not only this, Bangladeshi infiltrators even marry Naga women and take control of their properties. Driven by vote-bank greed, the governments of these states issued ration cards and other documents to these infiltrators. Opening bank accounts is their first task. Several assembly constituencies have reached a point where infiltrators ensure the victory of whichever candidate they choose. Social malice continued to spread due to Bangladeshi infiltrators settled against the wishes of the original inhabitants on their land in Assam. It was because of this that Bodo militant groups, including ULFA, emerged. Fearing the loss of their tribal identity, Bodo militants took up arms and launched a movement for a separate state free of any foreign Bangladeshis.

The non-Bodo community has been opposing the demand for Bodoland. Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators are active in both organizations—the Non-Bodo Suraksha Manch and the All Bodoland Muslim Students' Union. These organizations want areas where the Bodo community constitutes less than half the population to be excluded from the Bodoland region. The situation deteriorated to such an extent that illegal infiltrators began murdering the indigenous vanavasi (forest-dwelling indigenous people) of Assam, burning their homes, and snatching their lands. A conspiracy to reduce the original citizens of Assam to second-class citizens proceeded at full speed.

Pakistan's ISI, the Pakistani military, and terrorist organizations have been hatching conspiracies to destabilize this region in order to carve out a greater Islamic nation combining parts of the Northeast—which is strategically vital for India—especially parts of Assam. The time has now come to resolve this problem, which poses a major challenge for the state's first BJP government. I will discuss the rest in the next article. To be continued...

Read Further - The Complete Story of the Citizenship Crisis Created by Illegal Infiltration in Assam, Part-4

– Manish Prakash, The author is a political analyst and writes on issues of national importance.

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