CorCom makes clear its stance on migrants-II
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 07 2012: Contd from previous issue .

While discussing the issue of influx from India, one cannot study the case of Manipur separately, away from South East Asia.

The region is bound together by topography, racial similarity and inter-dependence.

The issue of influx in WESEA including Manipur has reached an alarming level.

It was the fifth President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahamed who devised the strategy of 'population invasion' by opening a floodgate of influx from Bangladesh.

Already, the population of immigrants has crossed 70 per cent of the total population of Tripura.

It is now everybody's knowledge that Boroks now constitute 28 per cent of the total population of Tripura.

After 185 kings had ruled Tripura for more than 200 years, the kingdom was merged into the Indian Union in 1949.Till the 18th century, Tripura was a homogenous land of Tripuris.

But they became minority in their own land by mid 20th century.

In 1901, Tripuris, Manipuris and other indigenous communities constituted 74.68 per cent of the total population of Tripura while Muslim Bengalis constituted 25.9 per cent and Hindu Bengalis formed 8.6 per cent.

However, 100 years later, as per the census report of 2001, the combined population of Tripuris, Manipuris and other indigenous communities plummeted to just 31.82 per cent just as the population of Muslim Bengalis came down to 8 per cent.

By this time, the population of Hindu Bengalis had grown to 60 per cent.

Next to Tripura, Assam is the worst affected State of the region.

The 2001 census report of Assam put the figure of immigrant population at 46.3 per cent.

Out of them, 35 per cent are illegal migrants from Bangladesh, according to Dr Pravin Baishya.

By 2005, immigrants have attained majority in the nine districts of Dubri (74.29 pc), Barpeta (59.3 pc), Hailakandi (57.6 pc), Goalpara (53.71), Karimganj (52.3), Darrang, Morigaon and Nagaon.

Former Governor of Assam Gen Ajay Singh once said that 6000 migrants from Bangladesh came to Assam every day.

If his account was true, the all the indigenous peoples of WESEA would rendered minorities after 20 years, remarked Nagaland based journalist Okenjit Sandham.

Outwardly it appears otherwise but Nagaland is one of the States where huge number of immigrants have made their settlement.

Okenjit Sandham wrote that immigrants have formed one-third of the total population of Nagaland.

Again, Dimapur Naga Council president Savi Ligiesie stated that the population of illegal migrants in Nagaland has reached certainly reached four lakhs.

Agono Iralu said in March 2012 that there were 3.5 lakh Miyas (Bangladeshi Muslims) in Nagaland.

Paying heed to the voice of the people, the Government of Nagaland set up a special task force to probe into the growing population of immigrants despite the presence of Inner Line Permit System.

It was even joked that a new group of people named 'Semiya' born out of wedlock between Miyas and Sema women have grown up in Nagaland.

The Miyas married Naga women so that they can stay in Nagaland and make easy their ways of earning.

After Nagaland stands Meghalaya in terms of the size of illegal immigrants.

As per the 2001 census report, immigrants, that is non-tribals formed 14.1 per cent of the total population of Meghalaya.

Though the figure does not look threatening, the figure is not credible enough.

Just like in Manipur where the official record about the number of immigrants is six per cent as against the actual figure of 31.7 per cent, similar manipulation cannot be ruled out in Meghalaya too, the CorCom alleged.

Garo Students' Union president Tengsak G Momin expressed deep concern on May 31 this year saying that the days are not far when Garos would become minority in their own land.

Tengsak said that around 6000 immigrants come to Meghalaya every year on the average, and most of them never go back to their native places.

Bangladeshi immigrants would first enter Assam and there they somehow obtained Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) and entered Meghalaya.

As they possess EPICs, no legal action can be initiated against them.

Apart from Bangladeshi immigrants, the population of Nepali immigrants has also crossed one lakh mark in Meghalaya and the State has already witnessed anti-Nepali riot.

Mizoram too is not free from the scourge of influx.

According to Agono Iralu, population of Chakmas and Tongchangyas who migrated from Bangladesh to Mizoram is more than one lakh.

The issue of influx is rather critical in Manipur.

The Government of India has been keeping under tight wraps the real census report of 2011 which shows the actual figure of immigrants in Manipur, alleged CorCom.

The Government has been deliberately keeping the census report like a classified document as part of its covert strategy of 'silent population invasion' .

2001 census report claimed that the population of immigrants in Manipur was just six per cent.

This report was totally negated with ample evidence by a report published by the UCM in November, 2005 .

With all the statistical details, the UCM report put the figure of immigrant population at 30.7 per cent of the total population of Manipur.

Against Manipur's total population of 22,93,896 as recorded in 2001, the population of immigrants was 7,04,488 .

It was more than the total population figure of hill people by 23,706 .

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