Guwahati: A one-man Commission report to the Supreme Court on India-Bangladesh boundary has recommended that the apex court order a high-powered inquiry into issues concerning illegal migration from Bangladesh which is threatening to reduce the indigenous population of Assam to a minority by the year 2047.
The one-man Upamanyu Hazarika Commission, set up by Supreme Court, submitted its report on October 5 to the Court which has directed both the Central and Assam governments to respond to the recommendations within four weeks for hearing on November 5.
Undertaking extensive tours of the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam, the Hazarika Commission suggested creation of a ‘Sterile Zone’ by demarcating/identifying a particular stretch from the international boundary in the riverine area and provision of identity cards to villagers there.
The report stated that though the operational agency guarding the border on the ground was in favour of creation of a sterile zone, a policy decision from the Central and state government is awaited.
Observing that the primary reason for illegal migration is hunger for land, the Commission recommended that there should be a restriction in the transfer of land – whether by way of sale, purchase, gift or any other such transaction, or by way of allotment from the government or any other agency – only to those who have been citizens of India in the year 1951 and their descendants.
It is imperative that the statutory restrictions on transfer of land to non-tribals in existing tribal belts in Assam now be extended to non-tribal areas as well to stave off illegal migrants from acquiring land, the report suggested.
The report claimed that the foreigners acquired land “through all means, the favourite mode being to pose as flood and erosion affected persons from other districts with the aid and assistance of a complicit and corrupt administration”.
The big influx over the years has created a huge immigration population which competes for jobs, in government institutions with Indian citizens, without verification of the antecedents of such non-Indians, the Commission noted and suggested that the same benchmark for transfer of land be adopted to be an effective deterrent for any illegal migrant and protection of indigenous inhabitants.
On illegal migration from Bangladesh threatening to reduce the indigenous population of Assam to a minority in the next 32 years, the report quoted eminent civil engineer Indrajit Baruah who has studied the problem since the Assam Agitation and instituted several cases in this regard.
The report said he has arrived at the finding after undertaking a statistical analysis of the change in the demographic pattern and by extrapolating the population growth figures in Assam.
“What has been held by the Supreme Court more than 10 years ago, in the Sarbananda Sonowal case, still holds good on the ground.
“In fact, the situation has become worse. “In spite of all these facts being within the knowledge of the Central and State governments.
The influx into Assam and into new areas of Assam continues unabated and in spite of being patently illegal, the governments have gone out of their way to support foreigners in direct contravention of rights of citizens and indigenous inhabitants,” the report said.
Stating that a Bangladeshi passport holder can not only own land in Assam but also contest an Assembly election, the report said it is indicative of the manner in which illegal migrants of doubtful nationality have managed to entrench and establish themselves in the state.
Therefore, the necessity, for an independent investigation and an enquiry into these nexuses and all the facts in this regard, cannot be overstated, the report asserted.
“It is only after unearthing the nexuses and the relevant facts in this connection that the apex court will be able to pass correct and appropriate orders.
“Furthermore, the unearthing of such nexuses and concomitant facts will be a valuable guide to laying down the procedure for verification of the antecedents of those who have applied to be included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as also clearing the land under encroachment,” the Commission said. (PTI)
