Mizoram chief ministerial candidate slams CM Lal Thanhawla on Assam NRC

Aizawl: Lalduhoma, the chief ministerial candidate of the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), criticised the Mizoram government on Monday for its failure to do something in order to prevent a possible influx of illegal migrants and foreigners from Assam ensuing the publication of the complete draft of Assam NRC by Dispur not long ago. Lalduhoma while speaking to reporters here expressed worry that many Bangladeshi foreigners from Assam would try to enter Mizoram following the Assam NRC.

Lalduhoma remarked that majority of the 40 lakh people, whose name had been left out in the final draft of the NRC, would migrate to Hailakandi and Cachar districts of Assam along the Assam-Mizoram boundary and later try to make their way into Mizoram.

Lalduhoma said: "The Mizoram government is well aware of the possibility that illegal migrants from Assam will try to enter Mizoram. Still, it remains a mute spectator and is pretending to be in a slumber. It has intentionally ignored the matter."

Lalduhoma said that the Mizoram government should reinforce security along the Assam-Mizoram boundary and should deploy police along the Assam-Mizoram border particularly in Vairengte, Kolasib, Bairabi, Kanhmun, and Zawlnuam.

He quoted a report prepared by the joint secretary, department of economics, the ministry of commerce, S. Kumar Khare, that says 98 percent of people in Hailakandi district of Assam are illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

The second and final draft of the Assam NRC was published on July 30 which included the names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 applicants leaving the names of more than 40 lakh people. The Assam NRC is drawing controversy when West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee blamed the Assam BJP government of playing politics and deleting the names of lakhs of Bengalis in the NRC list and said that people whose name were left out would try to enter West Bengal.