Bangladeshi son of Indian parents!

Ruckus in Assembly as AIUDF legislators target Foreigners Tribuls

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 9: The illegal Bangladeshi issue again rocked the State Assembly on Monday with AIUDF MLAs raising a hue and cry over a declaration made by a Foreigners Tribul (FT), which was later upheld by the Gauhati High Court in its judgement handed down on a case (no.W.P.(C).No.3138/2012).

During question hour in the House, AIUDF MLAs protested how one Moil Mullah from Barpeta was declared illegal Bangladeshi by a Tribul when his parents were earlier declared Indian citizens by a Tribul. It may be mentioned that Moil is now being kept at a detention camp in Goalpara since September 6, 2013.

The AIUDF demanded that the FT’s and the High Court’s declaration be challenged by the State government in the Supreme Court and Moil be freed.

In his reply, Minister Rockybul Hussain, on behalf of the Chief Minister, said that Moil will have to first move the apex court challenging the FT’s and the High Court’s declaration. The State government cannot just free him violating the Court’s order, Hussain added.

But the adamant AIUDF MLAs said that Moil was declared illegal Bangladeshi due to mistakes committed by the government officials concerned, and it is the responsibility of the State government to rectify the mistakes.

According to AIUDF’s Abdur Rahim Khan, “Moil’s parents Ashan Mullah and his wife Monowara Begum from Barpeta, were earlier declared Indians by a Tribul, but their son’s case was referred to the Tribul on the suspicion of him being an illegal Bangladeshi. The Tribul later declared Moil to be illegal Bangladeshi, which was also upheld by the High Court when the Tribul’s declaration was challenged. If his parents were declared Indians, how was Moil declared illegal Bangladeshi? It’s the responsibility of the State government to rectify the error. There are many other such cases in the State.”

Rockybul Hussain further said, “The State government cannot do much in this case. We cannot move the Supreme Court directly. We are following the High Court’s order.”

Raising a point, AGP MLA Padma Hazarika said, “Identification of Moil’s parents by the Tribul might have gone wrong. They may be Bangladeshi too. How can the State government move the Supreme Court when the High Court declared someone to be illegal Bangladeshi?”

The statement of Hazarika triggered more uproar in the Assembly. One BJP MLA slammed the AIUDF members for always raising the illegal Bangladeshi issue.

AIUDF MLA Sherman Ali said, “The State government, on behalf of Moil, must challenge the High Court’s judgement in the Supreme Court and pay compensation to him.” Rockybul Hussain retorted, “Why is the AIUDF showing sympathy for Moinul? You can file a case in the Supreme Court on Moil’s behalf if you have so much sympathy for him.”

Ali was later suspended by the Speaker for the day for breaching House rules.