Muhammad Zamir, Former Ambassador, International Affairs Analyst
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has rightly pointed out that the BJP-led central government is hatching conspiracy to drive Bengali-speaking population out of Assam. People migrated to Assam from different places like Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram. The plan to axe Bengali-speaking people from Assam is never acceptable.
The draft of a list of citizens released with an aim to weeding out illegal immigrants from Assam, one of India’s multi-ethnic states, will only compound the problem. Attempt to further destabilize the world through politicization is not supportable.
The Indian government says that anyone can appeal through tribunal if his or her name is left off from the primary draft list.
According to media reports, an army personnel who retired as a junior commissioned officer (JCO) in 2016 after serving the army for 30 years was even asked to prove his Indian nationality as Assam police branded him an illegal immigrant.
The central government should explore ways for an amicable solution to the problem after analyzing the legal aspects and holding talks with the people of West Bengal and Northeast India.
Bangladesh has shown enormous generosity in providing shelter to 10-11 lakh displaced Rohingyapopulation. Why has the issue come to fore now? Why a conspiracy is being hatched to drive Bengali-speaking people out of Assam? We know that the general election is just around the corner in India. Is it for confirming victory in the election?
Based on an interview by Ashiq Rahman, translated by Hossen Sohel