NRC demanded in Bengal to stop infiltration from Bangladesh

Stating that continuous infiltration from Bangladesh is adversely changing the demographic pattern and increasingly posing a threat to the Hindu population in the bordering districts of West Bengal, an forum on Saturday demanded the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state on the lines of Assam.

Criticising the current Trinamool Congress government and the erstwhile Left Front regime in the state for not taking any steps to stop, detect or deport the illegal migrants from Bangladesh, the forum said they would start a mass movement to implement the NRC here, before the situation gets way out of hand.

"According to our survey, the number of illegal migrants from Bangladesh would be around 70-80 lakhs in West Bengal. It has also been seen that according to census reports ,the Muslim population in the state has increased by more than two percent in every decade since 1971. This is an alarming trend," BJP leader Mohit Roy said at an event organised by 'Paschim Banger Jonnyo' here.

None of the state governments have so far taken any steps to stop infiltration from Bangladesh, he alleged.

Roy also criticised state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for terming the NRC in Assam as a conspiracy against the Bengali community staying there and said there is need to identify the differences between Bengali and Bangladeshis.

"The Chief Minister is saying NRC is a ploy to drive away Bengalis from Assam and claims she would give shelter to those people in Bengal. However, like speaking in Spanish or French does not make the South American countries a part of Spain or France, speaking in Bengali does not make anyone a Bengali. They are Bangladeshi residents who have illegally migrated to Assam and Bengal," he said.

Pointing out that West Bengal shares a much bigger and porous border with Bangladesh than Assam, the forum said the migrants have to be detected, deleted from voters' list and if possible deported to their native land to ensure the rights and security of India's original citizens.

--IANS

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