illegal migrants

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We are estimated to have at least somewhere between 10 million to 20 million Bangladeshis in our country who are supposed to be illegal migrants. Mr Inderjit Gupta, the then Home Minister of India (who was from the Communist Party of India – that so-called secular party and not from BJP or Shiv Sena) had stated in Parliament on May 6, 1997, that there were 10 million illegal migrants residing in India. Likewise, quoting Home Ministry / Intelligence Bureau sources, India Today in its issue of August 10, 1998, had given the breakdown of these about 10.83 million illegal migrants by the States: West Bengal 5.4 million Assam 4 million Tripura 0.8 million Bihar 0.5 million Maharashtra 0.5 million Rajasthan 0.5 million Delhi 0.3 million Total 10.83 millions This was in 1997-1998. Today, in 2006 end, the number of illegal Bangladeshis is estimated to be much larger than 10 million and is estimated to be around 20 million. One fails to understand why the Government, which is not able to provide basic amenities to its own population of the size of 1100 million (OK, let it be 1080 million if we exclude about 20 million illegal Bangladeshis living in this country), is so keen to woo these illegal Bangladeshis migrants? Ultimately there has to be a limit to the vote politics. One can understand (though one may not agree) the Government trying to woo a particular section of the Indian citizens for its petty vote politics, but how can the Government be permitted to show extra favours to the illegal migrants at the cost of the Indian citizens? And, that too from a country which is supporting anti-India terrorist organisations? What a pity! Bangladesh allows training camps on its land to anti-India terrorist organisations and India in turn allows food, shelter, employment and extra favours to about 20 million illegal Bangladeshis migrants! It is in this context that we have to see yesterday’s (December 5, 2006) landmark judgment of the Supreme Court by which it quashed the UPA government notification that put the onus of proving an illegal migrant into the country solely on the complainant. The Supreme Court directed the Centre to constitute within four months sufficient number of tribunals to detect infiltration of large number of Bangladeshis into Assam. It is pertinent to point out that in July, 2005, the Supreme Court had struck down as unconstitutional the Illegal Migration Detection by Tribunal (IMDT) Act. But, the Government did not like it. Playing its usual and now-infamous hide-and-seek game with the Supreme Court, the Centre Government came out with a notification in February, 2006, vide which it issued the Foreigner (Tribunals for Assam) Order, 2006. This Order was challenged by AGP MP Sarbananda Sonowal and others. The petitioners alleged that this notification was nothing but a repetition of the quashed IMDT Act which put the onus of proving a person an illegal foreigner on the complainant. The Central Government tried to defend the notification. However, the Supreme Court quashed the said controversial notification. In fact, the Supreme Court went a step further and also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the Central Government to be paid to the petitioners. We, the citizens of India, must whole-heartedly welcome this Supreme Court judgment. It is germane to mention that in its earlier decision of July, 2005, vide which it had quashed the IMDT Act, the Supreme Court had made the following important observations in paragraphs 62 and 63 of the judgment, which are reproduced below in full as these are very important observations