Former Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang on Saturday urged all political parties, non-governmental organisations, student groups, tribal bodies and village councils to unite against the influx of immigrants from Bangladesh into the state.
Zeliang, now the leader of the Opposition in the Nagaland Assembly, said the villages bordering Assam must be more vigilant and “adopt measures to thwart any infiltration attempts by militants from Bangladesh”, The Telegraph reported. Zeliang’s statements came just days before the publication of the final draft of the National Register of Citizens. It is expected to be published on July 31.
“Out of 3.29 crore people of Assam, who applied for inclusion of their names in the register, the first draft contains names of 1.9 crore Indian citizens living in Assam, while the names of the remaining 1.39 crore had undergone various stages of verification,” Zeliang said. “Is Nagaland prepared to protect itself if several thousands Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam, who do not find their names in the list, start infiltrating into the state?”
Zeliang said that the government should bring an ordinance to stop the influx of immigrants from Bangladesh, because one-time checking cannot resolve the matter, The Morung Express reported. The former chief minister said that the effectiveness of the Inner Line Permit system is also a contentious matter and cannot be relied on to keep out immigrants.
Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said earlier on Saturday that those people whose names do not figure in the final National Register of Citizens draft will not have their rights curtailed.
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