IT News
Imphal, Dec. 7
The National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) spearheading the movement for the restoration of the Boroks’ historical rights in the state of Twipra shows concerned and opposed to the enactment of Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the winter session of Parliament.
A statement of the NLFT signed by Secretary General D. Uomthai drawing the attention of the policy makers, thinkers and law makers of the nation and said that the fundamental conflict and political unrest in Twipra is all about the core issue of illegal immigrants that occurred in different waves right from 1947, 1950, 1960, 1964 (Hazratbal shrine incident in Jammu and Kashmir and riot in East Pakistan), 1965, 1971 and even after the liberation war of Bangladesh.
The administration may have thought their job is done after the border fencing. But the reality is just the opposite and beyond the perception of the authority. Illegal immigrants continue to arrive by managing the BSF with money. Relatives of these immigrants in the other side of the border are now making digital infiltration by obtaining Adhaar and ration card well ahead of their arrival. By the enactment of the CAB, the Government of India is trying to blanket cover millions of illegal immigrants in Twipra which endanger the very existence of the Boroks and sons of the soil, the statement said.
It added that over the decades, the illegal immigrants were the fastest growing ethnic group and ranks No. 1 with 7 in every 10 of the state’s population. Institutional and logistic support by both New Delhi and the state government were the main source and cause of such disproportionate growth of illegal immigrants. As family members and relatives from the immigrants move back and forth between Twipra and our immediate neighbouring country, it ensured the further inflow of illegal immigrants and consolidation. The Government of India, instead of checking the incoming waves of illegal immigrants, provided all possible help like cash dole and loan for self-reliance and business, allotment of Borok lands for settlement of the illegal immigrants, transport for resettlements in new areas and other basic amenities like health care, sanitation, education and above all security. The state government under Chief Minister Sachindralal Singh even took away the royal reserved lands of the Boroks by enacting the Twipra Land Reform Act 1968 and put the illegal immigrants on it.
New Delhi unjustifiably turned its back on the sons of the soil in that it spent far more resources and time on the well being of the illegal immigrants rather than on the people with whom it entered into the merger agreement on October 1 5, 1949 that made independent Twipra a part of Union of India.
A careful recount of coherent policies and enactments of laws by both the Centre and the state governments would show not only how the Boroks have been reduced to insignificant minority but also by default politically handicapped. The CAB is yet another nail in the coffin. It is legitimising the stay of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in the state of Twipra which at present is not even the size of kutch district of Gujrat (17,634.829 sq. mile) or Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan (14,826.708 sq. mile). It is only little bigger than the Home Minister Amit Shah’s Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency ( 7, 931 sq. mile) as present Twipra has only 10,471 sq. mile geographical areas. How can it host such huge population with its agri-based economy? By what count Delhi justifies this aggression by the illegal immigrants on the Boroks of Twipra?
The NLFT said that they are not against any persecuted religious minorities or ethnic group. But questioned on why only in this tiny territory where the sons of the soil are now persecuted by the illegal immigrants and the government of India is providing institutional protection to the persecutors rather than to the victims. And in the context of Twipra, the Boroks are the victims and so called religious minorities and infiltrators from the neighbouring country are the perpetrators with both New Delhi and the state government on their side.
“We believe the Boroks too have every right to defend themselves. We cannot be forced upon to accept Socio-economic-political situations we do not want. It is the question of justice here, not might”, the statement said.
The NLFT also called upon all the right thinking citizens of the country to come and make on the spot study to see what befell the Boroks and what it takes socially, economically and politically to accommodate the illegal immigrants.
The group also appeal to the international community to prevail upon the Government of India to refrain from the application of the Citizenship Amendment Act (when passed) in the state of Twipra as this would lead to unprecedented ethnic unrest.
