IMPHAL, February 16: The North East Indigenous People’s Parliament (NIPP) has demanded that in order to control the influx of illegal immigrants from the neighboring countries, the India government should take up immediate steps to stop any policy of Population Transfer in the name of bilateral relationship with other countries.
This was said by the NIPP Working Committee Coordinator, Ningthouja Lancha at a press meet held at Manipur Press Club today regarding the three-day long Tripura Chapter NIPP held at Khumulwng, Tripura on February 12- 15.
The North East Indigenous People’s Parliament for Tripura Chapter was jointly organized by the NIPP, Tripura People’s Front and Tripura Students Federation.
Lancha reacted strongly that due to the policy of population transfer of the government, the flow of illegal influx from other countries have increased manifold, however, the government of India has failed to take any stringent steps to control it.
This has led to an increase in the influx of illegal immigrants into Manipur and if it remains uncheck, it will soon be a major threat to the indigenous population of the State, he pointed out.
He further condemned Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for his reported statement proposing revival of the now non-functional Indo-Bangladesh Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace (Indira- Mujib Treaty) during a book release program in Tripura.
The Indo- Bangladesh Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace (Indira- Mujib Treaty) was signed by the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi and the first Prime Minister of newly carved out Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman on March 19, 1972 forging close bilateral relations between India and newly established State of Bangladesh.
The treaty expired in 1997 after the two governments declined to renegotiate and renew it, he said and added that Manik Sarkar alleged that most of the Indians and the government do not want any kind of modification or scrapping of the treaty.
He further condemned the International working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) who stated that all the Bangladeshi Hindu immigrants should be provided Indian citizenship whereas the Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants should undergo genetic test to get citizenship, as a communal statement.
He continued, the NIPP Tripura Chapter had observed that the matter of identifying and deporting refugees and illegal immigrants should not be based on religion or language and that the statement of the VHP international working president exposes the racist attitude of the people of mainland India which is also reflected on their manner of treating the indigenous people of the NE region.
He said it was also observed during the gathering of the indigenous Tripuri (Borok) that after the merger agreement was signed between the Independent Hill Triperrah and the Government of India on September 9, 1949, a political unrest had prevailed in the land among the indigenous Borok population.
The unrest was also especially against the high influx of Bengalis and hindus from Bangladesh and West Bengal which had resulted in an abnormal increase in population of 327 percent increase during 1951 to 1991 against the normal decennial growth of just 30 percent, he said.
This abnormal influx led to the immigrants overpowering the source of economy and over exploitation of forest and land resources which was a direct threat to the very economy, socio-cultural and religious life of the indigenous population, he added.
Due to the influx, more than 90 percent of the Borok population were reduced to become landless labourers living below the poverty line, he said.
Lancha further highlighted that the NIPP was constituted to analysis various issues of the people of the North East such as challenges and survival, human rights and human security, economic and development, population influx and identity crisis, fundamental rights- culture and language and political and economy.
He stated that such type of parliament will be held in various parts of Northeast States. Further discussions will consider the recommendations and the same will be reaffirmed in the future before adopting suitable resolutions.
He said that the next chapter will be at Arunachal Pradesh tentatively on August last week and will move on to Assam and other North Eastern state.