RELATED HISTORY: Jihad has come to India : Bangladeshi Invasion

For starters, here is an ' Internal Note ' prepared for the Union Cabinet by the Union Home Ministry in Mar 1992. Entitled " Problem of Infiltration from Bangladesh ", the note stated : "The illegal immigration from Bangladesh into the Eastern and N. Eastern States and several other states in the country has become a serious problem. Immigration into border states such as Assam and West Bengal was taking place prior to

the formation of Bangladesh, but the magnitude of the problem has assumed serious dimensions as large scale infiltration has changed the demographic landscape of the borders and affected Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra etc."

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Again. " According to figures available (in 1987) with the Government of West Bengal, the total number of Bangladeshi infiltrants in the State was around 4.4 million. In Assam, the estimated figure of infiltrants today is about 2-3 million. Tripura and Bihar are also seriously affected by infiltration from Bangladesh. The infiltrants are also spreading to newer areas like Manipur and Nagaland. "

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Further. "The influx, in certain cases, has changed the demographic character as illustrated above. Its serious religious and cultural dimensions are being increasingly felt in the States of West Bengal, Tripura and Bihar. It is observed that more and more Muslims are settling down in the border areas. Accordingly, large stretches of the border in these States are becoming predominantly inhabited by Bangladeshi Muslims. The simmering communal tension in some of the border areas is one of the manifestations of the effects of large scale illegal migration of Bangladeshi nationals who have slowly displaced or dispossessed the local population, particularly those belonging to the Hindu community, in these areas."

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The report further goes on to make an estimate of this illegal migration. It stated : "The 1991 census data of both Bangladesh and India throw significant light on its magnitude. The total population of Bangladesh was estimated in 1991 at 104.76 million, the annual growth rate being 2.02% against 3.13% during the decade 1974-81. The total population for 1991 was earlier projected by the Bangladesh Government between 112 and 114 million. The UNDP projection was 116 million for 1990 and 117-118 million for 1991. The net shortfall, according to Bangladesh Government projection was between 7.24 and 9.24 million. Combined with other Census statistics, one can safely conclude that no less than 7 to 12 million people have infiltrated into India [from Bangladesh] between 1981 and 1991".

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The Report then gives detailed district wise population growth; rates and compares them with the average national growth rates in India and Bangladesh and stated : " Phenomenal growth rates in the following urban conglomerates of West Bengal during the period 1981-91 reinforces the conclusion that massive infiltration from Bangladesh into these areas is underway".

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And then the 'KAYO PUNCH'. " Demographic changes have produced sharply adverse Hindu-Muslim population in several border disticts in the States adjoining Bangladesh. The influx of illegal migrants who have settled in the border districts in West Bengal, N.E. States and Bihar have transformed these districts into overwhelmingly immigrant population districts. The change in the religious composition of population has created socio-economic and religious problems. In as many as 56 constituencies they have a major electoral voice. There has been a phenomenal increase in such crimes as bootlegging, drug peddling, prostitution and smuggling in the border disticts of West Bengal. The presence of a large population of illegal immigrants constitutes a serious threat to National Security. Intellectuals and press in Bangladesh have already launched a campaign for LEBENSRAUM for their excess population in Eastern and N.Eastern States of India".

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That was the Union Home Ministry of the P.V. Narasimha Rao govt. 'Secular' hopefully? How does it differ from what Murali Manohar Joshi told the writer of the Article?!!

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Thats not all. On 03 Jul 1992, the Report of the 'Seventh General Conference of the N.E. Co-Ordination Committee' of the Congress (I) stated, among others: " Bangladeshi journalists met Bangladeshi Muslim families residing in Delhi, took their pictures and wrote about their life style in a Dacca Daily. According to them, there are about 1.5 lakhs Bangladeshi Muslims in Delhi. According to other sources, the number will be more than 3.5 lakhs. Whatever be the number, they came from Bangladesh; further - In July 1990, the Bangladeshi Muslims residing in West Bengal formed an organization named' Bangladesh Mohajir Sangstha '. On 12 Feb 1991, the spokesman of the above organization told a press conference that there were 1 Lakh Bangladeshi nationals in West Bengal at that time and many more are spread over in Delhi, Bombay and Ahmedabad whose total number would exceed 5 Lakhs".

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The Report then stated : " Let us also caution ourselves and the Nation on either side of the divide that the leaders have to rise to meet the challenge [of illegal migration from Bangladesh] or 'they will be waylaid by history and time'. WE BEG THE PRIME MINISTER TO GIVE HIS PERSONAL ATTENTION TO THIS AFFAIR THAT CALLS FOR ANSWERS TO INDIA'S EASTERN QUESTIONS". The full reports can be read in " A SECULAR AGENDA " - Arun Shourie (Harper Collins) (1993) - (pp-269 - 304)

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The matter doesn't end there. It so happens that the then Governor of West Bengal, Mr. T.V Rajeshwar (Mar 1989 - Feb 1990), went public about this danger in the media. In a series of Articles in 1996, he had pointed to the long-standing design to create a ‘ GREATER ISLAMIC BANGLADESH '- by annexing Assam, the bordering districts of West Bengal, and parts of Bihar, and to the fact that through this illegal infiltration the design was well on the way to being realized. INDEED, HE

STRESSED, THE WAY THIS INFLUX HAD ALREADY CONVERTED VAST, CONTIGUOUS TRACTS INTO MUSLIM, SPECIFICALLY BANGLADESHI MUSLIM DOMINATED AREAS, THE PROSPECT HAD ALREADY ARISEN THAT A THIRD ISLAMIC STATE MEY BE CARVED IN THE SUB-CONTINENT OUT OF INDIA.”

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Rajeshwar recalled what the then Muslim League Premier of Bengal, Nazimuddin had told the Governor of the Province, R.G.Casey - Casey had set it out to the Viceroy, Lord Wavell : ‘ Nazimuddin tells me that they calculated that the combined area would give them a majority of 58% of

Muslims in place of 51% if only all Bengal and all Assam were to be included. He tells me that the Muslims bred faster than the Hindus and that 58% would reach 60% and more within a relatively few years. He went on to say that they believed that once this North Eastern Pakistan was established, there would be no one more keen about it than the

Hindus within its borders and that he believed it possible that the Burdwan division might come into North Eastern Pakistan in due course.”

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Rajeswar cited Kissinger’s dire warning- should that be ‘wish’? " The inevitable emergence of Bangladesh-which we postulated- presented India with fierce long-term problems. For Bangladesh was in effect East Bengal, separated only by religion FROM INDIA’S MOST FRACTIOUS AND MOST SEPARATIST STATE, WEST BENGAL. They share language, tradition, culture, and above all, A VOLATILE NATIONAL CHARACTER. Whether it turned nationalist or radical, Bangladesh would over time accentuate India’s centrifugal tendencies. It might set a precedent for the creation of other Moslem States, carved this time out of India. Once it was independent, its Moslem heritage might eventually lead to rapprochement with Pakistan.”

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And Rajeswar drew attention to what had already come to pass: ‘ Muslims in India accounted for 9.9% (of India’s population) in 1951, 10.8% in 1971 and 11.3% in 1981, and presumably about 12.1% in 1991. The present population ratio of Muslims is calculated to be 28% in Assam and 25% in West Bengal. In 1991 the Muslim population in the border districts of West Bengal accounted for 56% in South and North Parganas, 48% in Naida, 52% in Murshidabad, 54% in Malda and about 60% in Islampur sub-division of West Dinajpur. A study of the border belts of West Bengal yields some telling statistics: 20-40% villages in the border districts are said to be predominantly Muslim. There are indications that the concentration of minority community, including the Bangladesh immigrants, in the villages has resulted in the majority community moving to urban centers. Several towns in the border districts are now predominantly inhabited by the majority community but surrounded by villages mostly dominated by the minority community. Lin Piao’s theory of occupying the villages before overwhelming the cities comes to mind, though the context is different.

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Rajeshwar then went on to write : " Figures have been given showing the concentration of Muslim population in the districts of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh starting from 24 Parganas and going up to Islampur of West Dinajpur district and their population being well over 50% of the population. The Kishanganj district (of Bihar) which was part of Purnea district earlier, which is contiguous to the West Bengal area, also has a majority Muslim population. The total population of the districts of South and North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda, and West Dinajpur adds up to 27,337,362. If we add the population of Kishanganj district of Bihar of 986,672, the total comes to 28,324,034. (All figures based on the 1991 census.) This mass of land with a population of nearly 2.8 crores has a Muslim majority. The total population of West Bengal in 1991 was 67.9 million and of these, 28.32 million are concentrated in the border districts, with about 16-17 million population of the minority community being concentrated in this area. This crucial tract of land in West Bengal and Bihar, lying along the Ganges/Hughly and West Bangladesh with a population of over 28 million, with Muslims constituting a ‘majority’, SHOULD GIVE CAUSE FOR ANXIETY FOR ANY THINKING INDIAN.”

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From these figures he gave two warnings: FIRST. THERE IS A DISTINCT DANGER OF ANOTHER MUSLIM COUNTRY, SPEAKING PREDOMINANTLY BENGALI, EMERGING IN THE EASTERN PART OF INDIA IN THE FUTURE, AT A TIME WHEN INDIA MIGHT FIND HERSELF WEAKENED POLITICALLY AND MILITARILY. The second Part of the warning is relevant even if that continuous tract does not separate into a full-fledged country: ‘Let us look at the map of India- starting from the North 24 Parganas district, proceeding through Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda and West Dinajpur before entering the narrow neck of land lying through the Raiganj and Dalkola of Isalmpur sub-division before passing through the Kishanganj district of East Bihar to enter Siliguri. Proceed further and take a look at the North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar before entering Assam, and its districts of Dhubri,’Goalpara, Bonaigaon, Kokrajhar and Barpeta. A MORE SENSITIVE REGION IN ASIA IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE- --.”

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That was West Bengal Governor. And here is what the then Assam Governor, Lt.Gen. (retd) S.K. Sinha, former Vice Chief of Army Staff, reported to the President of India in his report of 08 Nov 1998 : “ Large scale illegal migration from East Pakistan/ Bangladesh over several decades has been altering the demographic complexion of this State. It poses a grave threat both to the identity of the Assamese people and to our national security. Successive governments at the center and in the State have not adequately met this challenge- -. I felt it is my bounden duty to the Nation and the State I have sworn to serve, to place before you this report on the dangers arising from the continuing silent demographic invasion.”

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Continuing, the General wrote : " The unabated influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh---, threatens to reduce the Assamese to a minority in their own State, as happened in Tripura and Sikkim.The long-cherished design of Greater East Pakistan/ Bangladesh, making inroads into the strategic land-link of Assam with the rest of the country, can lead to severing the entire land mass of the North-East- - -- from the rest of the country. This will have disastrous economic and strategic consequences.”

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And then, the dire warning : " This silent and invidious demographic invasion of Assam may result in the loss of ‘’geostrategically vital districts of Lower Assam. The influx of these illegal migrants is turning these districts into a Muslim majority region. IT WILL THEN ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME WHEN A DEMAND FOR THEIR MERGER WITH BANGLADESH MAY BE MADE. THE RAPID GROWTH OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM MAY PROVIDE THE DRIVING FORCE FOR THIS DEMAND. IN THIS CONTEXT IT IS PERTINENT THAT BANGLADESH HAS LONG DISCARDED SECULARISM AND HAS CHOSEN TO BECOME AN ISLAMIC STATE. LOSS OF LOWER ASSAM WILL SEVERE THE ENTIRE LAND MASS OF THE NORTH-EAST FROM THE REST OF INDIA- - -. “

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As regards Assam, Shourie wrote : " In April 1992 Hiteshwar Saikia, then Chief Minister of Assam, said on the floor of the State Assembly that there were about 3 million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the State. The Muslim United Front leaders declared that he must withdraw his statement within 48 hours- or they would bring his government DOWN. Saikia withdrew his statement !”

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In a conference of the DGPs in 2003, the Intelligence Bureau made a presentation on the illegal immigration from Bangladesh, on how that country WAS CONTINUING TO BE A HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS STRIKING AT INDIA, AND HOW THE TWO PHENOMENA TOGETHER CONSTITUTED A GRAVE DANGER TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. A note circulated to the media at the conference, which among other aspects, stated : “ The’4096 Kms long and porous Indo-Bangladesh border makes for easy crossing. THE PROBLEM OF CONTINUED UNABATED INFLUX OF LARGE SCALE ( OVER 15 MILLION) ILLEGAL BANGLADESH MIGRANTS INTO INDIA HAS ASSUMED SERIOUS SECURITY IMPLICATIONS. Illegal BD migrants, driven by economic forces, have settled in various States including West Bengal (79 lakhs), Assam (50 lakhs), Bihar (4.5 lakhs in the North-Eastern districts including Katihar, Sahebganj, Kishanganj and Purnia), Tripura (3.75 lakhs) and Delhi (3.7 lakhs). In Nagaland, the population of Muslims, mostly illegal migrants from Bangladesh, HAS MORE THAN TREBLED IN THE LAST DECADE- the figures rising from 20,000 in 1991 to 75,000. Similarly, in Mizoram also, there has been a growth in the numbers of illegal Bangladeshi migrants though firm estimates are not yet available.”

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Continuing, the note stated : " “ The illegal BD migrants have significantly altered the demographic complexion particularly of the border districts of West Bengal and Assam. THEIR ABILITY TO OBTAIN RATION CARDS AS ALSO ENROLL THEMSELVES AS VOTERS NOT ONLY GIVES THEM A BACK-DOOR ENTRY INTO INDIAN CITIZENSHIP BUT ALSO PROVIDES THEM WITH POLITICAL CLOUT THAT FACILITATES SETTLEMENT OF MORE BANGLADESHI ILLEGALS IN OUR COUNTRY. IN ASSAM, THE ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ARE ABLE TO AFFECT STATE POLITICS IN A MAJOR WAY WITH THEIR HAVING ACQUIRED A CRITICAL SAY AROUND 50 TO 126 ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCIES. - - - -. The growth and clout of radical Islamic forces in Bangladesh, the increasing activities of the ISI there and the susceptibilities of the BD Government to such forces predicates greater attention to this front. A section of the Bangladesh opinion makers have already been talking of a Bangladeshi ‘ LEBENSRAUM’ in our North East. Besides a response at the political level, there is need for greater focus on the Indo-BD border and closer coordination between the Security Agencies, Border guarding forces and State Police forces for an effective response to the GROWING THREAT FROM BANGLADESH.”

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The Governors Reports and the Note at the DGPs Conference can be read in greater detail from the book : " Governance and the Sclerosis that has Set In " - Arun Shourie - (Rupa & Co) (2004) - (pp - 207-229).

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If the foregoing was not enough of a 'dire warning' to the Nation, the Task Force on Border Management, set up by the then NDA Government and headed by the former Union Home Secretary, Mr.Madhav Godbole, submitted its Report to the Government in Aug 2000. Here is what this Task Force stated about the state of affairs on our borders.

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"The Task Force has noted with with concern the rapid spread of MADRASSAS and MOSQUES in the border areas on ALMOST ALL BORDERS. Most of these constructions have come up without any formal approval of the competent local authorities - - -.In several cases considerable foreign funds have become available to these institutions through non-banking institutions.Efforts at Arabization of Muslims and their education are a matter of concern which should not be dismissed light-heartedly."

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The Task Force then noted : " There has been mushrooming and visible growth of mosques and MADRASSAS all along our international borders. The intriguing thing is that these have come up where there is very small or no population of the minority community and that MADRASSAS and mosques have sprung up on both sides of the border as if in unison. These institutions could be construed as Islamic infrastructure and have potential for intelligence encirclement of India. Concerted efforts are being made for the Arabization of the Indian Muslim tradition by promoting the Arabic or Salafi brand of Islam among Muslims living in the border areas - - -."

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And then the Indo-Bangladesh border. " On the Indo-Bangladesh border, growth of MADRASSAS and mosques is taking place along with a shift in demographic composition due to ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OF A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM BANGLADESH INTO THE BORDER DISTRICTS OF INDIA. INCREASING CROWDING OUT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL POPULATION AND THE SHIFT TOWARDS ISLAMIZATION CREATE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE STRIFE. THIS IS LIKELY TO PUT PRESSUE ON THE STRATEGIC SILIGURI CORRIDOR."

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And the hard figures. " Indo-Bangladesh border has seen the most rapid growth of MADRASSAS and mosques. On the Indian side, close to the border, there are now 905 mosques and 439 MADRASSAS. And, on the Bangladseh side, there are 960 mosques and 469 MADRASSAS".

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Lastly, " Studies have indicated that in 18% of the Assembly onstituencies in West Bengal and 32% Assembly constituencies in Assam, Bangladesh migrants can influence the poll outcome one way or the other. A study showed that about 96% Bangladeshi immigrant respondents took active part in electoral politics in Kishanganj district in Bihar - -. They have been able to IMPACT LAW MAKING AND RUNNING OF ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING POLICE THROUGH THEIR LEGISLATORS. THEY ARE ALREADY LOOMING LARGE IN THE FRAGILE POLITY OF WEST BENGAL, ASSAM and TRIPURA. ONE CAN EASILY SEE THE EMERGING CONTOURS OF FUTURE SUBVERSION OF THE NORTHEAST - - ."

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The details of the Reports submitted by the Task Forces on Internal Security ( N.N. Vohra) and Border Management (Madhav Godbole) can be read - once again - in Arun Shourie's " Will the Iron Fence Save a Tree

Hollowed by Termites : Defence Imperitives Beyond the Military " (Rupa & Co) (2005)