By Albert Thyrniang
I hardly read the Salantini Janera but as someone alerted me I did read the 10th September edition. It was a pleasant surprise to find M Marak endorsing my views expressed in the article “Meghalaya could become Assam” (ST Aug 11, 2012, Tura Edition) in a letter to the editor entitled “A.chik A.songna Mikraksoani.” Marak reemphasized and elaborated on the clandestine ‘Islamisation of Garo Hills’ by fundamentalists. From Phulbari region or the plain belts (which perceptibly has Bangladeshi immigrants as the majority occupants) they are going to spread their wings to other parts. According to the writer the Assam based party, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is all set to make a debut in the next Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Election in 2013. The present Muslim tribal MLA may well lose his seat. We are looking at a possible changed political dimension. The Kokrajhar violence has awakened the entire North East region to the dangers of influx and infiltration. Reactions to the human made menace were rallies and protests all over the region; the largest being by NESO in Guwahati on September 6. Whether the campaign is going to be a sustained one only time will tell. In all likelihood not! It will be swept under the carpet. Human memory is short they say. Influx has already turned Tripura and Sikkim into Bengali and Nepali majority states respectively. My heart goes out to the Kokborok people. What they have now is only the ‘tribal name’ of their state. Numerically, politically and economically they have been invaded. They are ruled by an outside majority. But nothing much can be done. They have to accept their fates. Perhaps education can help them survive with resilience. Not only the Kokboroks but many other indigenous tribal groups in the seven other state have been reduced to minorities in their lands (localities). The Bodos, the Rabhas, the Rajbongshis, etc are no longer majority in the areas their forefathers have settled. Some of them have even lost rights over their lands and forests. It’s official that the Bodos are not going to get their own state because they are a not majority in their territory (courtesy Rajesh Pilot, the late Union Home Minister). If this is the argument then Assam should not be a state because the Assamese are not a majority in Assam. Leaving that aside, influx is going to sweep the rest of the indigenous people in North East. It is going to change the social, cultural, demographic, political, economic and religious landscapes of this region. A time will come when the change will be unrecognizable. The warning is written in capital letters on the wall. Barpeta, Dhubri, Gaolpara, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Nagaon in Assam, Lanka in Karbi Anglong, Dimapur in Nagaland, Phulbari and Lad Rymbai in Meghalaya etc. are clear indication of things to come. The population of 9 out of 27 districts in Assam has a Muslim majority. Some more will follow suit if we go by the much higher birth rate of the community. This is shown clearly in the Census 2011.
Influx is the most discussed topic in the North East today as against corruption at the national level. Publicly and privately the conversation is on the self-made tragedy. The media, print and electronic, local and regional is also cashing on the emotional, sentimental and sensitive issue. Views may be one-sided but there is no denying that influx has occupied much of our space and time. It is only the Netas who do not seem to bother. The Prime Minister as usual is silent. Central Ministers too have no view, at least publicly. We have also not heard much from the public representatives of the North East. In Meghalaya too those who are supposed to speak on our behalf are maintaining a conspicuous silence. Perhaps influx is not a serious issue. Or they are hiding behind the sensitiveness of the issue. Perhaps it’s for political mileage and for short term gain. Clearly none have reached the level of a statesman.
Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi has played down the problem of influx. He does not even think it exists. When pointed out by Karan Thapar in “Devil’s Advocate” on CNN-IBN recently that according to census 2011 the Muslim population was higher than that of the Hindus in some ‘notorious’ districts the three-time Congress CM repeatedly stated that the reason is illiteracy among the Muslims. According to the veteran leader illegal influx is not the reason at all for the huge surge of Muslim population in his state. He insisted that illiterate Muslims have “five, six, seven, eight, nine and even ten” children and this has led to the explosion of Muslim population. Expectedly the ‘responsible’ CM has come under fire for the controversial remark. Gogoi, however, may not be completely wrong. What the ‘devil’ failed to further grill Gogoi on was by not asking the question: “Who are those illiterate Muslims”? Are they not from Bangladesh? Are they not illegally Bangladeshi migrants? It is too simple an answer to the very complex issue. To say that influx, infiltration or illegal migration of Bangladeshis to the Ahom state is not responsible for the Muslim population boom is an irresponsible statement.
Here in Meghalaya our Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma stated in the Assembly that the state does not have any official record on influx. It takes the proscribed “Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council” to remind/’condemn’ the bright and dynamic, ‘One man army’ (Patricia Mukhim’s view, ST. July 27, 2012) Chief Minister that influx had affected the state in the past, is affecting the state in the present and is going to affect the state in the future (if no effective steps are taken). I am not pro-HNLC (nor any other anti social outfit). I am anti-influx. But if we give them the space, extremist groups will thrive under sensitive issues like influx. The recently ‘come back’ Council which raised their flag on their Raising Day (last August 14) in South West Khasi Hills District, cannot take a high moral ground on influx and illegal migration of Bangladeshis into our state. It’s leaders are based in Bangladesh. They are enjoying the hospitality of the Bangladesh Government. Can they take a hard stand on influx? However, the Chief Minister has allowed the HNLC to reopen the uneasy but historic events of 1950 and 1971 when thousands of Nepalis and Hindu Bengalis ‘influxed’ the state. By saying that there is no proof of illegal influx, Dr Sangma is sweeping the burning issue under the carpet. Then why promise an effective anti-influx mechanism to check the same? When everyone is discussing whether ILP or the 3-tier ID system is the best option, the CM concludes there is no influx. He can also be accused of inconsistency. Earlier at least on two occasions he had expressed his concern about influx. What has suddenly changed? Is he just toeing the line of the Centre?
Perhaps the point that the HNLC wants to make is that influx has no religion. But in fact it has. That illegal immigrants are only Muslims is a misconception. It is a misinterpretation of the situation. The Meghalaya Governor recently observed that the reason behind the clash in Kokrajhar is the fight over land. It was not anti Muslim. But the fact remains that the immigrants who have settled in Kokrajhar and other areas of the Boroland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) are from Bangladesh. They could be Muslims. They could be of other religions. They could be Indians (by default). They could be foreigners. They have occupied large areas and are claiming to be owners of the lands they have settled in and the fields they are cultivating. Hence the recent carnage! The targets were not Muslims. The reason was later settlers have become lords over lands and fields. Similarly, those who have come or are coming into Meghalaya too are not of a particular religion or race. Meanwhile Sayeedullah Nongrum, Congress MLA from Rajabala has denied the presence of Bangadeshi infiltrators in Garo Hills including his constituency. How is he so sure? Has the government carried out comprehensive checks? It is ironic that the person who should be the first to be concerned about the magnitude of the problem is so dismissive. Increasing his vote bank is the objective.
“Different Continents, similar problems, multiple solutions” by Patricia Mukhim (14th September, 2012) is an eye opener. Immigration is a global phenomenon. However, this should not make us complacent. Influx is a real and genuine threat to the whole of North East and to our state. Effective mechanism/s must be evolved to curb it. As referred earlier there is a debate in our state as to what is the best answer to the challenge of influx: ILP or 3-tier ID card system. Anyone or both or even a third alternative that the Chief Minister has in his sleeves, but something must be done. Sweeping the burning issue under the carpet is a dangerous game.
(The writer can be contacted at [email protected])