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HC notice to Govt on displaced migrants

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Nov 30 � The Gauhati High Court today issued notices to Ministry of Home Affairs, Chief Secretary, Assam, Ministry of Assam Accord Implementation and the Director General of Assam Police asking them to reply on the status of �displaced migrants� from Bangladesh within one month.

The notices were issued after the Court today admitted a Public Interest Litigation (Number 70/2102) filed by one Gopi Ghosh wherein the petitioner has raised legal issues contending that those (Hindu, Buddhist and Christian) who migrated to India from Bangladesh even after 1971 due to �social persecution and religious disturbances� should be treated as �displaced� and not illegal migrants and it is the duty of the Indian Government to give them citizenship.

�The PIL also referred to the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, which entitles the �displaced� Bangladeshi nations to be the citizen of India. The displaced are entitled to legal rights but the illegal migrants are not,� advocate Debashish Soor, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, told this reporter.

Advocate Soor also said that the PIL also contended that like Gujarat and Rajasthan, where the Citizenship Rule was amended and the displaced are being given protection, Assam should also have the same rule.

Advocate N Dutta appeared on behalf of the Union of India, while Babita Goel represented the State of Assam.

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