GUWAHATI, Nov 16 - The Central Government�s move to give citizenship to foreigners who came to India due to religious persecution in their own countries may lead to religious divide in Assam, which, in turn, may lead to law and order problem. This was the apprehension of the security agencies.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that a close watch on the situation is being maintained to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the situation to create religious divide in the society. Sources pointed out that provocative statements by some people, including political leaders, are also being monitored.
Sources pointed out that as there is no mechanism in India to identify which of the foreigners came to India due to religious persecution in their own countries and which came for other reasons, as every foreigner would claim that he or she came here after facing religious persecution. Sources revealed that no security or other agency has any figure of the number of Hindu migrants from Bangladesh staying illegally in Assam and elsewhere in the country as almost all those came illegally by taking advantage of the porous international border and they did not seek asylum in India claiming religious persecution in their own country.
Security sources admitted that the move would also affect the basic secular ethos of the Constitution of India as soon as steps are taken to deport illegal migrants on the basis of their religion. Moreover, some serious legal issues will have to be addressed by the government. A huge number of cases are pending before the tribunals set up under the provisions of the Foreigners� Act and a substantial number of the cases are against Hindu migrants. The government is yet to announce what will happen to such cases if the Citizenship Amendment Bill is passed and the Hindu migrants are given citizenship.
Another major issue is the Assam Accord. As per the provisions of the Accord, the illegal migrants, who came to Assam after the midnight of March 24, 1971 should be detected and deported. The Citizenship Amendment Act would violate the provisions of the Accord and the government will have to modify the Accord in consultation with the stakeholders, sources admitted.
Sources revealed that some other countries, particularly the advanced ones, also face serious problem of infiltration. For example, the United States of America is facing serious problem of infiltration from different countries, particularly from Mexico and Cuba. But the USA has a well chalked out mechanism in place to decide whether to give citizenship to such migrants.
