GUWAHATI, Sept 16 - The problem of Hindu migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh cannot be solved in isolation, but practical measures should be taken to permanently resolve the long-standing problem of minority persecution not only in the Indian subcontinent but also in the entire South East Asia.
This observation was made by senior journalist DN Chakravartty in his letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chakravartty, in his letter, mentioned the tumultuous situation arising in Assam following the Government of India�s shift in policy with regard to sheltering non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan and Bangladesh and allowing them settlement in India with the cut-off year being 2014.
Chakravartty requested the Prime Minister to state clearly how the evacuated or immigrated Hindu people from Pakistan or Bangladesh would be settled in India. He said that since 1947, Assam had already taken the burden of over 70 lakh illegal Muslim migrants from East Pakistan and Bangladesh, and another 30 lakh Bengali Hindus either as illegal immigrants or refugees.
�Since there cannot be any question of sheltering fresh migrant Muslims from Bangladesh, the question of sheltering Pakistani and Bangladeshi Hindus and other non-Muslims should be sorted out once and for all,� he said.
Chakravartty said that the Government of India should hold a special session of Parliament for a threadbare discussion on the permanent solution to the minorities problem in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Government of India should also appeal for a special conference of the SAARC countries to resolve the problems of permanent settlement of minorities and inter-State boundaries.
Chakravartty requested the Prime Minister to make a comprehensive study of the fast changing demographic situation in Assam and not to �burden this economically and financially handicapped State with a fresh burden of millions of unwanted people.�
He requested the Prime Minister to understand the fear of loss of identity which had for the last six decades gripped the Assamese community, and not to inundate Assam with a fresh crop of refugees even on humanitarian grounds.
�While the Assamese people have full sympathy with the persecuted minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh, they are not in a position to shoulder any extra burden of refugees from Bangladesh or elsewhere,� he added.
