Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said Bangladeshi immigrants who had crossed the border into India compelled by factors like religious intolerance should be granted refugee status and allowed to stay on in the country.
“Migrants who were compelled to come to India due to religious or any other reason should be given refugee status on humanitarian grounds,” Gogoi told reporters here.
He, however, pointed out there was a difference between those coming to India “willingly” and the ones who had done so “under compulsions”. “Today, all of them are treated as foreigners. If they are identified as illegal immigrants, they are sent back,” the CM said, adding that he had earlier requested the Centre to make such a consideration.
Addressing a press conference, Gogoi said his government was also pursuing the matter of granting of Scheduled Tribes’ (ST) status to six communities.
Following reports of a Central government statement saying these tribes did not meet the criteria for becoming ST, violent protests have been witnessed in some parts of Assam.
“I have requested the Centre to consider the six communities as being tribal. The Centre assured us it will look into the appeal. Till then, we should solve the problems peacefully and try to avoid any conflict,” he added.
Assam government has recommended ST status for Koch- Rajbongshis, Tai Ahoms, Morans, Muttocks, Sutias and tea tribe/adivasi communities on several occasions in the past. (PTI)