NESO demands deportation of illegal Bangladeshis from NE

NESO, the conglomerate of students organisations from the region, demanded that illegal migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan and now Bangladesh be expelled without delay.

NESO chairman Samujjal Bhattacharya and Secretary General Gumjum Haider in a press statement today demanded that the entire Indo-Bangladesh border be sealed effectively.

"When the Union government can do it in the western border with Pakistan, they can achieve it in the eastern border as well," Bhattacharya and Haider said.

"We all know that the migration of people into the North East region has a long history before the country became independent. However, from the day the country was divided into India and Pakistan, the illegal immigration should have stopped," they asserted.

"It (the border) remains porous even today. Recently Union Minister P Chidambaram had admitted there was flow of illegal migrants into the region," they stated.

The political parties, particularly the Congress, have persistently built up vote banks comprising of immigrants since Independence, the duo said.

The NESO leaders also demanded that illegal migrants must not receive any loan, land or assistance to earn their living in the region.

Insisting that the interest of indigenous people must be protected, they said, "these facilities should be provided only after proper verification of citizenship of the people of doubtful origin".

"In the case of Assam, the long delay in implementation of the Assam Accord has already resulted in loss of lives and property. Only preparation of an upgraded National Register of Citizens (NRC) and constitutional safeguard, including land right, can provide the healing touch," they said.

The NESO will hold its fifth 'General Conference' in Kohima for four days from November 27 with the theme 'Our Resources - Our Future'.