Any attempt to check infiltration menace divides the leaders on political lines. IT would certainly benefit the country if all concerned joined hands to find an amicable solution to the problem of infiltration, rather than making it a game of political one-upmanship. But as the political leadership of our country continue to dither with such a volatile issue, the fear of being swamped over by the outsiders is increasing with every passing day, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee touched the heart of every North-Easterner when he promised to find a solution to this menace. “Infiltration from Bangladesh has taken a serious turn. The indigenous Assamese are gradually becoming minority in their own homeland,’’ the Prime Minister said. Mr. Vajpayee promised to scrap the IMDT act and start negotiation with the Bangladesh Government to resolve the problem, if voted back to power.

The Prime Minister suggested “foreigners are welcome to our house for a day or two. We should be good host. But attempt to take control of the host’s house should be termed as infiltration.’’ “The IMDT act that is of no use and must be scrapped. Now the situation has become such that Bangladeshi infiltrators are in majority and have started taking control of political power,’’ Mr Vajpayee said. Indicating that he was ready to negotiate with the neighbour so that the problem does not get compounded, the Prime Minister confessed, “When I had raised the matter with Bangladesh, its Prime Minister was not ready to accept infiltration.’’

But the impact of the Prime Minister’s message was soon diluted by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s claim that there was not a single foreigner in Assam. Rather, the Assam Chief Minister alleged that the Centre had “completely ignored’’ the infiltration problem in the State during the past six years, and accused the Prime Minister of raking up the issue before the elections only to garner votes. “Where was the Prime Minister and the Central Government in the past six years,” asked Mr. Gogoi, countering the Prime Minister. “The issue has always been raised only on the eve of the elections and they conveniently forget about it for the next five years. We want fencing along the border like in Punjab to stop the infiltration. But the Centre has never come forward to help us,’’ Mr. Gogoi said. Accusing the Prime Minister of spreading “false propaganda on infiltration’’, the Chief Minister claimed that the “BJP was not even sincere regarding implementing the photo identity card project’’. Such war of words between the politicians over the issue of infiltration in the North-East, is nothing new. Whenever any serious attempt was made to check this menace, leaders always got divided on political lines.

What is new this time is the manner in which the Assam Chief Minister had attacked the Prime Minister. The tone and tenor of Mr. Gogoi clearly rules out concerted effort by the Centre and the State against this menace in near future. Cries against outsiders are being hard from every nook and corner of the North-East. Indigenous people are apprehensive that soon they will be in minority in their own land. The scenario was rightly described by All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) president Byabang Taj. “We are apprehensive that if the present trend continues, the indigenous population in the state will be in minority by 2021.” Yet, some leaders like Tarun Gogoi still prefer to believe that there are no infiltrators in our land. It is not difficult to understand whom he wants to please by making such a statement. As long as the politicians will continue to please one community or the other for the sake of electoral gains, solution to this menace will continue to elude the North-East.

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