By Rabindra Nath Sinha
KOLKATA: Ethnic strife-scarred Manipur’s immediate past chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, who has been lying low since his resignation from the post on February 9 is active again. On May 28 Biren met Governor Ajay Bhalla and submitted to him a 12 page-letter citing how illegal migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh have through the years have been seriously impacting the demography of this small north-east state and how during his chiefministership he tried to rectify the situation in the interest of the indigenous people of Manipur.
If this is considered as a rather lengthy context that is replete with details covering long years, Biren has pivoted the operative part on a recent advisory to states and UTs by the Union ministry of home affairs to detect, identify and deport illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh within 30 days. He has observed in the letter that protecting the nation from the clutches of illegal immigrants has been his longstanding dream” and the MHA advisory, he is sure, will facilitate fulfillment of a dire need.
According to published reports, MHA’s 3o day-limit / deadline is intended to enable states and UTs to authenticate the identities of individuals suspected to be unlawful immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, who are asserting to be Indian citizens. If their paperwork is not confirmed within 30 days, they will be subject to deportation. The MHA move followed its guidelines earlier this month asking states and UTs to utilize their legal authority to locate, identify and expel illegal immigrants.
The ministry also advised states and UTs to create district-level detention facilities to accommodate persons awaiting deportation. The 3o- day-deadline is intended to impress upon district magistrates / collectors of the urgency of the matter. If no credential report is sent to / received by a state / UT within the stipulated 30 days, the Foreigners Registration Offices should deport them. Before deportation, the suspected individuals should be kept in the holding centres, the ministry’s guidelines have mentioned.
In highlighting the demographic aspects, the former chief minister has furnished to the Governor data that shows the state’s population in 1881 thus : Meiteis 130796, Naga groups 59904, “New Kuki & Mizo” groups 17204. The figures respectively of the 2011 census were : 1251307, 604171 and 448214. Which shows an increase in the population of Meiteis at 857 per cent, Naga groups at 909 per cent and “New Kuki & Mizo” groups 2505 per cent between the 1881 (first) and 2011 (last) censuses. The extent of illegal immigration that Manipur has been contending with is evident from these figures, Biren has contended. The adverse impact on demography is also evident in the conspicuous spurt in clandestine activity, such as, poppy-seed cultivation, smuggling and narco-terrorism.
He has urged Governor Bhalla to get a door-to-door verification done to comply with the MHA advisory and keeping in view the complexities and the magnitude of the task in Manipur, the state administration should seek an extension of the time limit from MHA. He has pointed out in the letter that during term as CM beginning 2017 he had a formed a dedicated cabinet sub-committee, enhanced use of modern technology and took recourse to satellite mapping to give a push to the campaign against illegal immigration.
Manipur watchers, who include civil society activists and politicians, do not belittle the importance of the issue posed by Biren to the Governor who is heading the administration since President’s rule was imposed on Manipur on February 13. But, there is scope to read between the lines and make note of other, almost simultaneous developments that are strictly political. Over half-a-dozen BJP MLAs have met the governor and demanded steps to install a popular ministry claiming support of 44 MLAs in the 60-member House (currently on seat is vacant). The Assembly is under suspended animation with effect from February 13. Then, Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, a former cabinet minister, met Union home minister Amit Shah on receiving summons from him.
Informed quarters, including ex-bureaucrats, told IPA that it is quite possible that the BJP central leadership is keeping Satyabrata Singh in view for the CM’s post, considering that he is a low-profile politician who may be useful in efforts to persuade Kuki-Zos, who want UT status with legislature for Hill areas, to maintain Manipur’s integrated format. Biren’s pro-Meitei stance (himself a Meitei of standing) and tough stance against “illegal Kuki-Zo immigrants”, who too do not conceal their anti-Biren attitude, rules out his reinstatement. That’s how Manipur watchers see Shah’s summons to Speaker Satyabrata whom, BJP’s Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra too met when he visited the state in the first week of this month. Of course, Patra had met Biren too then.
It is also in the realm of possibility that wants to buy time and does not want formation of a popular ministry with someone else as the legislature party leader. Action on MHA’s guidelines for eventual deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh after the credential-related exercise, is bound to be a time-consuming exercise. He realizes this and that explains why he has requested the Governor to seek extension of the 3o-day deadline, which may be expiring, perhaps, in the first week of June. But, if he can get the ministry-making move deferred and in the meantime Bhalla’s administration is able to establish that meaningful actions are being taken to abide by MHA’s guidelines and MHA grants an extension of the 30-day deadline, Biren will have bought time and manoeuvred to be in reckoning for reinstatement. But, it goes without saying that he will also have to work to soften the attitude of the Kuki-Zos towards him. But, as of now, Satyabrata is the person in news. (IPA Service)
