GUWAHATI, Feb 3 � Senior journalist and social activist DN Chakravartty, in a statement, asserted that the year 1971 had no �legal, constitutional and political justification and relevance� in respect of conferment of citizenship to infiltrators from erstwhile East Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Chakravartty is one of the signatories of a recent PIL filed before the Gauhati High Court demanding annulment of the validity of all declarations and accords in respect of determination of Indian citizenship for immigrants from Bangladesh and East Pakistan.
Chakravartty said that none of the over 180 constitutions the world over confer such sort of easy citizenship to any persons hailing from a foreign country. He said that the political history of India dating back to 1906 � the year of setting up of the Muslim League � clearly indicate the historical absurdity of 1971 as a cut-off year for determination of citizenship of persons infiltrating from Bangladesh.
Pointing out the long-standing designs of the armed forces of Bangladesh is to put India into a state of wilderness, Chakravartty appealed to the patriotic citizens of the country to view the entire situation �dispassionately and responsibly without any subterranean motive of endangering the integrity and independence of the country�.
Refuting the baseless hue and cry raised by �AIUDF and other communal organizations� regarding harassment of the Indian citizens, Chakravartty said that it was the �same slandering and vilification campaign� which was the instrument through which the Muslim League endeavoured to bring about partition of the country raising the false cry of �Islam in danger� and also about �crucification of the Indian Muslims at the hand of the majority Hindus� after the departure of the British.
