From a Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, Aug 3: The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB-Progressive) led by Gobinda Basumatary on Friday came down heavily on the State Government for its failure to protect the indigenous people of the State and warned that they would not allow any Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh to live in the tribal belts and blocks. He also cautioned that the violence between the indigenous people and the Muslim immigrants would be repeated if the illegal settlers were not pushed back.

Addressing reporters at the Kokrajhar Press Club, general secretary of the NDFB (P) Gobinda Basumatary said, “Sixty per cent of over 1 crore and 88 lakh bighas of tribal land have been illegally occupied by the non-tribals mostly the Bangladeshi nationals.”

“We have objected to the resettlement of suspected nationals and the government must start the NRC update by taking 1951 as base year before resettling them, because the illegal immigrants have no right to live in tribal belts and blocks,” said Basumatary, adding, “The government is protecting the Muslim immigrants for its vote bank politics.”

Basumatary said the large portions of the national parks like Kaziranga, Orang, Manas and Nameri were encroached upon by the suspected Bangladeshis.

He said as per the 2001 Census, the Muslim population in Kokrajhar district was 1.5 lakh but AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal had claimed that there were around 4 lakh Muslim refugees from the Kokrajhar district living in various relief camps in Dhubri district. "From where have the additional 2.5 lakh Muslims come and who are they?" questioned the NDFB (P).  

He also said over 95 per cent of the Muslims living in Amteka, Khwila Mwila areas along the India- Bhutan border in Chirang district had no valid documents to prove themselves as Indian citizens.

The NDFB leader alleged that the violence of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri was instigated by the government by using illegal immigrants as agent.  The leaders of the NDFB (P) also visited different relief camps in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts on August 1 and 2 respectively and distributed basic relief materials to the camp inmates.