Dt: 13/6/16
The Supreme Task in Assam
Dr T.H.Chowdary*
NDA government in Assam has an awesome task to undertake and complete. This is to identify the infiltrators numbering millions from Bangladesh into Assam for the last several decade to increase its Muslim population from 17.5% to over 35% in 2016. Besides those enumerated into this 35%, there must be a few more millions un-identified and not entered into any statistic.
2. Government of India has been building a fence along Assam-Bangladesh border . But this can never be a fool proof obstacle for infiltrators. It is best to construct a wall. About 2,500 kmt long wall on a not so strong a soil in some stretches may appear to be very costly and time -consuming but it has to be undertaken. The example of the Great Wall of China Wall must guide us. The 21,196 kmt Great China wall has taken hundreds of years to complete. It was begum in the 3rd century BC and completed only by the 17th century. But the Chinese did persist in the construction of this long and high wall in order to prevent the invading hordes from the north. The Great wall of China, one of the seven Wonders of the World is now paying for itself. Every year four mln tourists visit that. Each one pays $17 that is a total of about Rs. 450 cr per year . The wall that Assam is to build could be made into a tourist attraction and over time, it may pay for itself . The labour required could be drawn from those enrolled for NREGA.
3. While constructing the wall is one aspect, the identification and expulsion is tiring but a necessary task. Patriotic Assamese may be required to volunteer to be informants to identify the infiltrators. Those who are hosting them should also be identified. The onus of proving that they are the bona fide children of Assam for generations must be put on the suspects. The suspects should all be interned into camps. This is not a cruel job. The USA interned a few mln Japanese during the second World War as they could be suspected to be providing information to Japan which was at war with the USA.
4. Ministers for Home Affairs in the Government in 1951 of India had on a number of occasions while answering the questions in Parliament said that the infiltrators from Bangladesh were about 30 mln . Some of them must be in West Bengal some in Bihar and in Delhi. In West Bengal, the Muslim population had gone up from 2.8% to 27% and this increase must also be much due to infiltration . But both in Assam and Bengal, the Congress and the Communist parties turned a blind eye to the infiltration. Because they were building these into bonded vote banks and that is how the Congress and the CPM ruled Assam and Bengal for decades. The Supreme Court of India had on a number of occasions, observed that this type of infiltrators should be put an end to and advised the Government of India to take serious steps for this purpose.
5. Israel had a similar problem. Palestinian terrorists were entering Israel and causing havoc to life and limb and property in Israel. Israel had therefore built a wall to separate the Palestinian territories from Israel. The problem had been solved to the extent of over 95%. Many countries denounced Israel but Israel stood its ground and challenged whether any country would come to its help to prevent infiltration of the Palestrina terrorists and their murderous activities. Israel was certain that none would come to its aid and that it has to defend itself. Similarly, irrespective of the opinion of other counties, India must determinedly build up high and secure walls equipped with electronic surveillance systems. No nation state can afford the continuous infiltration of foreigners and that too, those who are historic adversaries of the native people to overwhelm them in their only territories. The BJP and its allies and the Assamese people should not shy from taking the most serious and severest steps to identify and expel the infiltrators and to prevent infiltration by building secure high walls however long they may take and how and money they may take to build and complete. (714 words)
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