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There has been a major crackdown on illegal immigrants who have been staying with fake documents in Bharat. The Delhi Police is set to deport 25 people to Bangladesh after they were found to be staying illegally in the country.
This is a crucial step taken by the Delhi Police, and it is only the beginning of a very long process. Over the years, the approach has been more focused on trying to prevent illegal immigration. In the bargain, many who entered the country and got fake documents continued to stay and reap the benefits like other Indian nationals would.
A changed approach
The estimated number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar staying in Bharat is said to be around 2 crore. Most of them are found in the northeastern states and West Bengal.
However, with these places getting crowded, the illegal immigrants gradually moved to Delhi and, later on, to South India. In the southern states where labour for plantation is crucial these illegal immigrants have found a safe haven. The maximum number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are found in Kerala and Karnataka. Plantation owners do not report these persons due to the fear of losing out on cheap labour. Since illegal immigrants offer cheap labour, the problem persists.
In recent times, these persons have not limited themselves to just labour-related activities. Many have been radicalised by terror groups since the Harkat ul-Jihadi Islami, a Bangladesh-based terror group, has a vast presence in Bharat. The Bodhgaya blasts investigation revealed that the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were used for the strike. Even in Burdwan, many of these persons were employed to prepare bombs. The Karnataka police, too, had a couple of years back busted a module in which the presence of these illegal immigrants was found.
Taking into account all such incidents the security planners of the country decided to adopt a different approach. It was decided that just stopping them at the borders was not enough. It was more important to deport them.
Deportations act as a deterrent and attempts to enter the country would be lesser. Currently, they enter with the confidence that once they are in, they remain here forever. The official told the Organiser that the action by the Delhi Police had just started. In the days to come, there would be more deportations, and this would send a loud message to those persons who are indulging in such acts.
Other states should follow suit
The decision to make a start in Delhi is important. Data shows that Delhi has the highest number of illegal immigrants, with 21 per cent, which is significantly above the national average. These persons enter the country through Meghalaya and then travel to Delhi by train.
Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are next on the list, with 8.1 per cent of illegal immigrants. Uttarakhand has 7.9 per cent, while Kerala has an equal number.
While it is well known that the numbers are higher in West Bengal, there is no proper reporting of the problem for very obvious reasons. In this state, illegal immigration is an institutionalised racket which has the complete backing of the establishment.
The problem has persisted for long and successive governments be it the Congress, CPI(M) or TMC, all have encouraged illegal immigration.
A survey by the Population Studies Unit said that in West Bengal, the problem is undocumented. The peak of illegal immigration was witnessed following the 1971 Liberation War. In Bengal, due to undocumented migration, several problems have arisen, such as increased fertility and child population. This is because of the strata of society they belong to, illiteracy, unawareness about family planning and sexual abuse.
In Bengal, the issue of illegal immigration has been directly associated with vote bank politics. There is a political class which does not allow them to be reported, let alone document them and then deport them. Over the years, they have mingled with the general population of the state and continue to live there.
In several parts of the state problems have already started to arise between the locals and illegal immigrants. The locals accuse them of snatching their jobs and overpowering their population. What the illegal immigrants are doing is playing to the script of their masters and attempting to make demographic changes in areas which are Hindu-dominant. In the bargain, they have become the larger population and, recently, the richer lot. This is thanks to illegal acts such as narco-trafficking, counterfeiting and cattle smuggling. Undertaking all such acts with political blessings has made them richer, and now they indulge in land jihad.
Given the current scenario, it becomes important all states especially Bengal should, follow the Delhi Police model and begin mass deportations of these illegal immigrants. With the current situation in Bangladesh, it is not the time to take things lightly as not acting on the problem will have graver consequences.
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