Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
On July 28, 2023, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Rohingya infiltrators from Bangladesh are using the northeastern state of Assam to either Delhi or Kashmir, assisted by brokers in Tripura.
“Assam is now being used as a corridor by Rohingya refugees to go to Delhi or Kashmir. Our investigations have revealed that some brokers of Tripura facilitate this infiltration,” Sarma said
While addressing the Superintendent of Police Convention in Bongaigaon (Assam), the minister said during the past several years in the past, the infiltration from Bangladesh into Assam was zero, but now, some recent activities were discovered and noted along the India-Bangladesh Border in Karim Ganj District.
Action taken by the State authorities
The Director General of the Police (DGP) has already taken some steps to prevent this, while the Superintendent of Police in Karimganj District has been asked to step up the vigil to stop the infiltration.
This is a new emerging crime, and the infiltrators mostly use the rail route. The main agency tasked and designated for the action and operation is the “Railway Police” which must gear up to stop illegal infiltrators.
Countermeasure Initiatives by the Assam Chief Minister
“Intelligence should be used and increased in all the railway stations from the Barak Valley to the western border of Assam so that these Rohingyas can be intercepted and decisive action is taken against them,” the minister said.
“The authorities of the three districts in the Barak Valley should remain active, and we should not confine ourselves just by deporting the identified infiltrators, but also to go to Tripura, arrest the brokers and break the backbone of this syndicate,” Sarma said.
The three districts of the Barak Valley are Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, respectively.
The Assam Police must initiate action in both source states if the situation warrants and also to step up surveillance in railway and bus stations, Sarma added.
Who are the Rohingyas
The Rohingyas are people who are originally from Myanmar. Lakhs of them fled the country after they encountered severe persecution faced by the community launched by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Military). The Buddhist majority State has committed grave atrocities such as mass killings, persecutions and sexual assaults of the Rohingya Muslims
They are concentrated in areas like Rakhine State province of Myanmar. They have established thousands of refugee camps in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi government is complaining and is unable to handle the situation. A large chunk of them have entered India through Bangladesh, and some of them have taken shelter in Thailand too.
Impact of Rohingya Influx in India
The continuance of Rohingya Infiltration is a threat to India’s national security. Many of them have links with Islamic terror networks, and terrorists, coupled with non-state actors, can disguise themselves or, in the garb of refugees, can penetrate Indian territory.
The second most important impact is the demographic change and the subsequent clash of interests with the original or the native population of neighbouring Indian States such as Assam and other northeastern states. This will also lead to potential political instability in Indian states in proximity to Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Solutions
The Rohingya infiltration can also be approached in two ways, the first is through legal frameworks such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (2019), The Passport Act (1920), Registration of Foreigners Act (1939). A classic example is the use of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) implemented in Assam.
The other solution is provided by extensive and comprehensive border management between the Border Security Forces (India) and the BGB (Bangladesh Border Guard), the setting up of fences integrated check posts, use of surveillance through drones and UAVs (unmanned systems)
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