Naga Hoho's clarion call to flush out illegal B'deshi immigrants

Naga Hoho's clarion call to flush out illegal B'deshi immigrants

Source: VSK-CHENNAI Date: 8/27/2012 12:35:12 PM

DIMAPUR, : The Naga Hoho, an apex tribal organization in Nagaland, has made a clarion call that the time has come for the northeast States to unite and flush out illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
“The time has come for the northeast States to unite and flush out the illegal immigrants once and for all to safeguard our future from the hands of aliens,” stated a Naga Hoho press statement.
In the wake of the current “communal tension” due to threat and intimidation against people of the northeast States in the southern parts of India, the Naga Hoho also asked the Prime Minister and all the chief ministers to be sincere enough to protect the lives and properties of the northeastern people, or else, “the people in mainland India have to state clearly that northeast States are not integral parts of India.”
The Hoho said the current situation was a reminder of the challenge posed by illegal immigrants in the northeastern region. Presence of illegal migrants have also exacerbated the existing social tension in the region, put public services under strain and worsened the security situation.
Pointing out that the “Bangladesh factor” is a challenge to the northeast region, the Hoho regretted that efforts to check illegal migration into the northeast have not been successful so far due to lack of political consensus on the issue.
“In fact, the overall Muslim population in the northeast has grown from 16 to 18 per cent in 1950s and 1960s to over 40 per cent now. However, Bangladeshi infiltration remains unchecked and illegal immigration continues to be a sensitive issue, exploited by vested political interests,” the Naga Hoho stated.
The Hoho also said despite the serious demographic, economic, security and political ramifications of the illegal immigration into the northeast, the issue continues to remain substantially outside the realm of the security discourse in the country.
The Naga Hoho further quoted former Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha’s comment as saying, “If unabated infiltration of foreigners is allowed to continue, the situation in Assam will be worse than that of Kashmir in the days to come and one should not be surprised if a Bangladeshi national manages to become the chief minister of the State.”