At most of the places in Meghalaya the fencing is old and is in very poor condition. The gates made at some places are badly damaged. Though, at certain places like Mahendraganj, Barman Tila, Sonatala and Monatala, the fencing work is going on, the 45-km border adjoining Dauki sector is completely open.

How hollow are the claims of the central government regarding the fencing of the border are proved from the fact that there are areas under Dhubri (Assam) district where there is no fencing up to several kms.

The UPA government had recently claimed in Parliament that the work of fencing the Indo-Bangladesh border with the north-eastern states is almost 70 per cent over and the remaining 30 per cent will be over by the end of this year. But the fact is that the fencing work is hardly 30 per cent over and that too is in very poor condition due to the use of substandard material. This startling fact has been revealed in a study conducted by a team of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) that surveyed 1074-km-long international border in 12 border districts of four north-eastern states—Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

According to Shri Mrinal Kantidas, north-east state president of ABVP, a total of 64 workers (in seven sub-groups) belonging to 22 states surveyed the international border from January 1 to 10 this year. During the study, the activists visited 129 villages and directly interacted with 638 villagers. They also discussed in details the condition of the border with villagers at 67 places and spoke to 20 seniors of the villages and also 69 local intellectuals including journalists. They also met 254 BSF jawans and their 25 officers. During the survey they also visited 27 camps of security forces and had first hand information by visiting 134 border posts. The members of the team covered 78-km-long remote areas by foot and 45 km by boats.

“For the last few years, large-scale infiltration from Bangladesh has been taking place in the north-eastern states. Newspaper reports, report presented to the President by former Governor of Assam S.K. Sinha and the statement of Union Minister of State for Home prove it. The growing terrorism, smuggling and various other illegal activities have posed a serious danger to the national security in the the north-eastern states. In fact, seriousness of the situation has prompted us to conduct this study,” said Shri R. Srikanth, north-east state organising secretary of ABVP.

Truth about fencing

How hollow are the claims of the central government regarding the fencing of the border are proved from the fact that there are areas under Dhubri (Assam) district where there is no fencing up to several kms. At certain places there is old fencing, which is in very poor ondition and is almost ineffective. The border at Rustam border and out-posts from Pillor No. 1015 to 1018 and 1030 is completely open. Similarly in the Barrak Valley even the poles have not been installed at most of the places. From Katigara sector to Sadirkhal, Chandighat, Jalalpur sector and Bhanga region there is no fencing. According to the study, there is no fencing in Jhanvkuti, Binachara, Tistapar, Ujjangaon, Bilvari, Patharkandi, Sadirkhal, Chandighat, Karimganj and Mukam Tila in Assam. The fencing is old and badly damaged in Ramraikuti, Chatrasal, Viskhova, Sonahat, Nalia, Isarval, Rustam, Lakshmimari and Binachar in Dhubri and Barrak Valley of Assam.

At most of the places in Meghalaya the fencing is old and is in very poor condition. The gates made at some places are badly damaged. Though, at certain places like Mahendraganj, Barman Tila, Sonatala and Monatala, the fencing work is going on, the 45-km-long border adjoining Dauki sector is completely open. The fencing in Koraigora, Kalaichar, Babupara, Boraivari, Durgapara, Tarapara, Purakhasia, Dalu, Diplipara, Shivvadi and Baghmara is badly damaged.

Similarly in Tripura, most of the border is open and the old fencing at certain places is worn out. In Kailashar, Khovai, N.C. Nagar, Kulubari, Tarapukkar, Majipara, Lajiapura and Kathalchhori areas of the state there is no fencing at all. While in Mojarpur, Himayatpur, Krishnanagar and Lankamura the fencing is damaged.

Out of 80-km-long border in Mizoram, only 7-km-long border has been fenced and that too is in very poor condition. One more interesting fact is that there is no fencing along rivers, ponds and in interior regions. At certain places the border has been demarcated so foolishly that some villages and even houses have been divided in two parts. Durgapur, Amarichhar, Sabrum and Tarapukkar in Tripura and Noksi, Shivvari and Diflipara are such Indian villages, which have been divided in similar ways.

Smuggling and other crimes

According to the study, the smuggling of bovine life has assumed a fatal proportion in border areas of the north-east. In certain areas the Hindus lock their cattle in their houses at night and they themselves sleep in open to save their cattle. It was found that more than 20,000 cows are smuggled to Bangladesh everyday from India. These cows are supplied to a slaughter-house being run by a Malaysian company in Bangladesh. Before Id lakhs of cows are smuggled to Bangladesh, which fetch more than Rs 300 crore to Government of Bangladesh from export of 1,87,000 tonne meat. The prominent centres of cattle smuggling are Manakchar, Tistapar, Binachar, Rustam and Dangarbang in Dhubri (Assam), Nilambazar, Karimganj, Cachar, Nir Jalalpur and Kalain in Barrak Valley (Assam), Dharmnagar, Vishnupur, Mahik, Majidpara, Lajiyapura, Aralia, Motinagar, Khelabari, Julaivasha, Barnarayan, Maujarpur, Agartala, Babutia, Sinchai, Tarapukkar and Himayatpur in Tripura and Sonatola, Korailgaon, Barman Tila and Bhaibari in Meghalaya.

Hindus are kidnapped for ransom and crimes against women have increased manifold. Gang rape of Hindu girls has become a daily routine. A Hindu girl studying at a college in Baruakandi (Tripura) was gang-raped and she later committed suicide. The rice crop grown by the villagers in border areas is harvested by the Bangladeshi infiltrators who mostly attack at night. In certain Muslim villages, the Hindu temples have been demolished. The Bangladeshi infiltrators have forcibly occupied the land and forest produces in several border areas. Owing to all such criminal activities the Hindus have started migrating to other areas. The sensitive areas which are regarded as hideouts of the anti-national elements include Tistapar, Binchara, Bhogdanga, Paksarkuti, Manakchar, Dhivmiri Berbhangi, Badarpur, Karimganj, Nilambazar, Kalain and Nij Jalalpur in Assam, Borasora, Bhaitbari, Silachori, Sabrum Kaptoti, Sonapur and Hirachora in Meghalaya and Durgapur, N.C. Nagar, Tarapukkar, Majidapara, Kathalchauri, Baghmara, Asharamvari, Gerunagar, Baksarnagar and Khobai in Tripura.

The study reveals that all the border areas of the north-east are in the grip of fake currency rackets. Kelashahar area of Tripura is considered to be the entry point of the fake currencies especially the Rs 500 notes. Barrak Valley of Assam is also a prominent centre of such rackets. Nalia under Dhubri district of Assam is a prime centre of fake currency. The smuggling of Indian one rupee coin is also taking place at a large scale. Out of one Indian rupee coin two shaving blades are made in Bangladesh, which fetch 10 takas.

The smuggling of arms and ammunition is also taking place on a large scale. These arms and ammunition are supplied to terrorists active in India. According to the survey the prominent centres of arms smuggling are Bhingpran, Paksarkuti, Tistapar, Manakchar, Binachar, Bhogdanga and Berbhangi in Assam, Durgapur, N.C. Nagar, Masjidpara, Tarapukkar, Kathalchhori, Gorunagar and Himayatpur in Tripura and Bagmara, Nuragaon and Bhaitvari in Meghalaya. “It has posed a serious threat to the integrity of the country. The dreaded international terrorists are establishing their control in the border areas and operating terrorist activities in the country. Though, the local media has been highlighting these facts, the government and other agencies concerned are silent,” the survey said.

Mosques and madrasas

The survey reveals that the number of mosques and madrasas is growing rapidly in the border areas. Most of the mosques and madrasas appear newly built. Even small houses are being converted into mosques by building tombs over them. The number of newly built mosques on Zero Line is higher. Such mosques and madrasas are the known hideouts for infiltrators and terrorists. The survey team found about 519 such mosques and madrasas in the border areas. Several madrasas like one in Bhaitbari are even equipped with high-tech facilities. Recently some Muslim youth were apprehended from this madrasa selling the pictures of Osama bin Laden.

The number of Muslims in the border villages is also increasing. Karimganj, Helakandi, Dhubri in Assam, West Garo Hills in Meghalaya are the villages, which have recently turned Muslim dominated. The study reveals that such villages have developed as transit point for infiltrators and terrorists.

Poor infrastructure

The basic infrastructure like road, electricity, water, telecommunication, etc. in the border areas is very poor. The BSNL network is almost ineffective. On the other hand, the network of Bangladesh is very effective which is widely used by the terrorists. The road that has been built in the border areas is also in very poor condition. New roads are not being built and there is no arrangement for their maintenance. It creates problem in establishing contact with the border villages. A number of villages in Meghalaya like Sonatala, Dangerdobang and Difligaon have no facility of health, education and also market for purchasing daily-required things. These villages are fully depended on Bangladesh.

The border security management is totally inadequate. The BSF appears ineffective. The BSF is also not equipped with the essential infrastructure and the guarding in river areas is almost zero.

ABVP plans national campaign against infiltration

In order to make the border security effective, the ABVP has demanded complete fencing of the border forthwith and to make it more effective the fencing should be electrified. “There is also a need for proper floodlight arrangements. The BSF personnel should be armed with adequate orders like shot-at-sight at the infiltrators. The No Man’s Land norms at the border should be implemented strictly. The intelligence system should be strengthened to prevent smuggling. Any kind of patronage to the infiltrators should be done away with and the criminals arrested in smuggling etc. should be tried in fast track courts,” says Shri Biswajit Roy, national executive member of ABVP.

The governments of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram should make proper arrangements for daily essential goods in the border areas and implement the developmental schemes effectively. The ABVP has also appealed to the local people living in the border areas to help in identifying the infiltrators and not to provide patronage to any infiltrator or terrorist, Shri Roy added.

A five-member delegation of ABVP also recently visited Delhi. They are trying to meet the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, Leader of Opposition and several MPs of both the houses. The ABVP is planning a countrywide mass movement on this issue as the issue is concerned with the integrity of the whole country. Talking about their experience, the delegates said that the people of border areas, who have now tired of continuous negligence, have started saying that perhaps the central government does not want to keep the north-east with India. They also stressed the need for treating Bangladesh as the bigger enemy than Pakistan.

Courtesy: www.organiser.org, June 03, 2007