We’re sitting on a major time bomb

It is identification of the natives and settlers who came after 1971. It should be done throughout the whole country to find out the complete statistics. Once we have the data, we will know the depth and magnitude of the problem.

After terrorism and global warming, the most compelling issue faced by humankind is the problem of illegal immigration. Looking for greener pastures and hoping for a better life, these people enter the country illegally risking their own lives and all savings. India is one of the top 10 destinations favoured by illegal immigrants.

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) has been much delayed already. It should have been done much sooner. By and large, these people are unskilled and unemployable; they are absorbed as labour only and do not make any value addition to the host country. Being illegal migrants they are easily prone to exploitation by anyone and everyone. Also, they don’t have a bond within the community or country. This gives rise to ethnic clashes. Political parties like the Congress have been using them as means for widening their votebank for a very long time, ignoring the fairly vocal resistance by local Assamese. Parliament did take note of the situation and passed the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act 1950, and this law extends to the whole of India. The political unwillingness due to short-term gains accrued has allowed the situation to become ugly. Back in 1985, Rajiv Gandhi had signed the Assam Accord, but eventually he also did nothing. Assam has been on boil for so long because influx of illegal immigrants has affected the social and cultural life of original residents irrevocably. The governor of Assam in 1998 had predicted that the implications of this mass unabated infiltration will have to be suffered not only by Assam but by the entire country. But he was very conveniently ignored. The Congress largely has been instrumental in enacting laws to keep this infiltration going on.

This illegal population is an unnecessary strain on our economy. The amount we have to spend on securing our borders and maintaining these infiltrators is huge.

We are living under the shadow of terrorism. This large, unaccountable population is a major threat to our national security. If any of our neighbours chooses to cause a mischief, one can imagine our country is sitting on a time bomb.

The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendera Modi has shown political will to finally take up this issue. It is high time we take stock and set the record straight. The NRC process in Assam is a step in finding out illegal immigrants. All over the world illegal migrants are being deported back to their native countries because the host countries are unable to deal with the complexities that these uninvited guests give rise to.

The United Nations and the European Union are working together towards sending back migrants to their native countries. There is no need to raise a hue and cry over the NRC. The Congress and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress are criticising and painting a distorted picture of this only to safeguard their voteshare now. It is only identification of the natives and settlers who came after 1971. And it should be done throughout the whole country to find out the complete statistics.

Once we have the data, we will know the depth and magnitude of the problem. Then only we can think about how to deal with these illegal millions.

The NRC in Assam is a welcome beginning and all political parties should join hands with one belief that the nation comes first.