Exclusive! Bangladeshi migrants, refugees, intruders: Myth vs Reality

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Exclusive Article By: Dr. Mumtaz Naiyer

Postdoctoral Scientist,

Clinical and Experimental Sciences,

Faculty of Medicine,

University of Southampton

Southampton, United Kingdom.

I am from the Bengal side of Bihar and Bihar side of Bengal. You must be wondering what this is? Let me clear you.  I belong to north eastern district of Bihar called Kishanganj, bordering Nepal and Bangladesh. Adjoining district is North (Uttar) Dinajpur of West Bengal. Basically I consider Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur my home as many of my relatives are residing in both the districts. 

Since my growing up years I have seen many Bangladeshi refugees settling in these areas. I have been told that they migrated from Bangladesh during the Indo-Pak war when Bangladesh was born. Even after the creation of Bangladesh the influx of Bangladeshi to Indian borders continued till late 90s. You must be speculating that they must be Muslims as projected by Indian media. No they are not Muslims, 99% of them are Hindus, and either you call them migrant, refugees or intruders. They are not few families but their actual number might be in several hundred thousand. We have shared everything with them and living in peaceful co-existence since their arrival. They have flourished even more than the actual inhabitants. Even my Hindu friends and brethren from Kishanganj and Uttar Dinajpur can’t deny this fact. 

If somebody has doubt I can show them their settlements, colonies etc. These districts never witnessed any riots, violence and are the best example of inter-community tolerance and brotherhood. Nevertheless, these districts are minority dominated. The other districts in this region where Hindu Bangladeshi migrants have been settled for years are Dakhsheen Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri , Koch Bihar, Darjeeling, Maldah, Murshidabad, Katihar and Purnea. Their actual number might be in millions. You can guess who is using them as vote bank now. 

Often BJP, Shiv Sena, RSS and Narendra Modi use the rhetoric that Bangladeshis must prepare to leave the country after 16th May. My question is, will BJP/RSS/Shiv Sena will chase away these settlements /colonies to Bangladesh? Or they will be spared because of their religious identity? 

Let us come to the point, Bangladeshi Migrants in Assam where Muslims are being killed and massacred are often deemed as 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants' even though most of these migrants (as well as the Santhals) have been settled in the region since before India or Bangladesh was formed. Two days ago 50 Muslims including women, children and toddlers have been massacred mercilessly apparently for not voting for the local dominant party, in Bodoland in Assam in north eastern India. These crimes are not spontaneous rather organized. Indian Media always distorted the actual truth and forced to do by their handlers (political parties). 

The two major parties of India congress and BJP are doing cheap politics and playing the blame game. The biggest irony is that some of the BJP and RSS cadres are celebrating these killings and writing openly in social media. For Hindu rightwing, Muslims are forever foreign/alien.  None of the culprits has been arrested so far neither the CM of Assam has been sacked by the Ruling congress party. All we can hope is fewer lives to be lost, for the situation to calm down and violence to subside. Justice in India is mostly elusive so far minorities are concerned. I am indeed sad to say we have lost faith in the Indian democratic set up. Only a socialist revolution or arm struggle can bring the real change against such oppressions and mindless killings of the innocent and not these pseudo-democratic corporate funded elections or feudal courts.