Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 20
The BJP’s victory in Assam by dethroning the 15-year Congress rule on Thursday can either prove to be a windfall or lead to greater challenges for Nagaland State - expressly on the issue of illegal migrants, political and social analysts voiced on Friday.
Keeping in mind that the BJP had ardently promised to make Assam free of “Bangladeshi infiltrators” if voted to power, there is a growing apprehension that mass influx of illegal migrants will start flowing into Dimapur, the gateway to Nagaland.
Assam’s biggest election issue was illegal immigration.
Relatively, the issue of influx of illegal migrants to Nagaland is not unfounded. It is geographically directly linked to Assam from where illegal migrants reportedly infiltrate into the state with possession of dubious documents supporting their Indian citizenship. Some, they acquire from Nagaland itself.
In the 2016 Assam election recently held, it was reported that thousands of suspected illegal migrants residing in Nagaland, particularly in Dimapur, Niuland and Athibung made a beeline to participate in the Assam electoral process.
“Time is approaching for mass exodus of illegal migrants to Dimapur. High time for Nagaland State government and civil societies to become more alert,” cautioned a concerned Naga residing in Assam, who is an expert in the issue of illegal migrants and history of Assam-Naga boundary issue.
According to him, with the onset of BJP, and with Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal at the helm of affairs, the illegal immigrant issue would be dealt a firm hand. Besides, the ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) process to identify illegal migrants is expected to be more stringent now.
This, he said, may not go down well for Nagaland as it increases the possibilities of an influx of illegal migrants if left unattended.
Dr Khekugha Muru, co-chairman of ACAUT Nagaland said the Nagaland State government could begin its task to stop infiltration of illegal migrants by bringing Dimapur under the purview of Inner Line Permit (ILP) zone.
New Field Check Gate and Dillai Check Gate to Assam should be made into ILP zone so that influx can be checked effectively, Dr Muru further pointed out.
Sounding positive that with the BJP coming to power, the nerve centre of infiltration and sheltering of illegal immigrants would be put to an end, Dr Muru said other North East states should take advantage of the opportunity that is about to open.
“Nagaland in particular must not to miss this historic opportunity or we will be overrun by illegal migrants,” he said while adding, the government has to wake up on this.
The demand for ILP in Dimapur is one of the key objectives of Survival Nagaland (SN), a pressure group formed to address the issue of “unchecked” and “unmonitored” influx of illegal immigrants in Nagaland.
“It is very clear on what the BJP will do in Assam to weed out illegal migrants. And it is also clear that they will start running towards Dimapur-that is unless the state government tackles the issue at the earliest,” SN member Daniel Swu said.
He said that once they (illegal migrants) enter Dimapur, it becomes difficult to tackle the issue, compounded by the fact that documents are also easily accessible in the state.
In 2014, Survival Nagaland had claimed that there are at least 5 lakh illegal migrants of Bangladesh origin in Nagaland, though their claim cannot be verified.
Nagaland expecting better
ties with new govt in Assam
With BJP and its allies led by Sarbananda Sonowal set to form a government in Assam, Nagaland is eying the change of guard with optimism of developing better ties.
Nagaland, currently governed by NPF-led DAN government with TR Zeliang as Chief Minister also has BJP as a partner.
In the last decade, relationship between the two neighbours had mostly been sour or brusque as serving Chief Ministers of both the states failed in sustaining the friendship reportedly enjoyed by Dr SC Jamir and Hiteswar Saikia during their chief minister-ship.
The unresolved Assam-Naga border issue has also exacerbated further the tension between the two. This is one key point, which Nagaland state wishes to resolve.
“We will see better Assam-Nagaland ties under the BJP led government in Assam,” BJP’s Mmhonlumo Kikon, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Labour & Employment (Including Skill Development) and Border Affairs told The Morung Express.
According to the Border Affairs Parliamentary Secretary, the previous Congress led government was not keen on solving the border issue. “We expect a positive response towards an amicable settlement of the border issue,” he said.
Further, there is the ‘old friends’ angle.
Kikon maintained that Sarbanabda Sonowal is an old friend of the Nagas, who was “engaging with us right from the time he was All Assam Students Union (AASU) president.”
According to Wathi Ao, a concerned citizen, the civil societies of both Assam and Nagaland should join to sensitize whatever issues between the two states to the new government in Assam.
Ao also said Nagaland government should also take steps to improve the rapport with its counterpart. Chief Minister TR Zeliang, on Thursday, while congratulating Sonowal said he was looking forward to a “much better working relationship with the new BJP government in Assam.”
