Demographical Miracles - Cost of Secularism or Politicians’ Mirage
Posted : December 29, 2005 at 9:05 pm [IST]
I got amazed to read a news item in ‘TheTimes of India’ December28, 2005. The issue related to the progress of verification of citizenship status for the country’s ambitious Multi-purpose National Identity Card (MNIC) scheme. Ultimately, every Indian citizen will hold a multi-purpose identity card, perhaps something like social seurity number of US. The database thus created will be unique available on computer and will serve many purpose. For example, one can know exactly the people under below poverty line and also other demographical details. It will have a far-reaching ramification for the maintenance of internal security too. It is difficult rather impossible to track people of neighbourly countries today. It will reveal the actual status of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh that has attained a dangerous level.
In the district of Karimganj in Assam, the verification of MNIC is running into trouble. As reported, the local authorities have witnessed surprising and substantial demographic change over the years. In Karimganj, the Muslim population rose from 49.17% in 1991 to 52.3% in 2001. And the task of verifications is becoming immensely difficult because of the claims and counterclaims about the citizenships. Naturally, the immigrants are making the rate of rise in number confusing.
I remember what the barber of a village near my own who used to be in Assam for many years told me a year or so ago when I visited my village. He narrated how difficult it was to continue living in Assam. The immigrants from Bangladesh have replaced all those who had gone from Bihar and eastern UP for earning their livings in Assam for a generation or two.
I see the same here in Noida where the monopoly of the people from Bihar or MP has ended because of the presence of huge number of Bangladesh citizens flooding the labour market. It is clearly visible among Noida’s rikshapullers and domestic maids at least. More than 50% of them are Bangla-speaking. And as many say, most of them are Bangladeshi immigrants living under fake names. Should it be allowed just to get India branded as a ’secular nation’ at the cost of its own citizens? If really they are from West Bengal, I shall be the happiest man to find particularly the women folks, many a times all alone, in this far distant place for earning their livings. Bengalis generally never liked the idea of going out of Bengal in my days there.
The problem as I understand, is more serious in all the districts adjoining Bangladesh. And the government must take some proactive actions to stop this illegal immigration from Bangladesh before it is too late. This issue should not be related to BJP or Congress. It is a national issue and must be faced to avoid some serious calamity at a later stage.
I myself remember the horrible scene of a quarrel between two old women near the temple in Noida. It was for getting the equal share of the alms from the religious citizens of Noida. One was local and the other was Bangla-speaking. And I vividly remember local old lady using an abusive language and calling the other one ‘bideshi’ (foreigner). But how can it be stopped when some political parties are encouraging it for many years to increase their vote banks? In West Bengal for many years, a speaker of the ruling party was facilitating the issuance of ration cards to all the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. And the ration cards made them eligible to participate in elections and ultimately made them legal citizens of India. How easy it is when a ration card costs only Rs.100 and a driving license only Rs500.
Will MNIC be made compulsory? Can the scheme cover the whole country fast enough and every citizen be taught of its importance?
P.S. A shocking News
- Indra
Category: Indian politics |
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