Illegal immigration in India

Illegal immigration is a serious political problem in India, with widely differing estimates of the number of such migrants. In places this has led to outbreaks of xenophobic violence, particularly against those perceived to be Bangladeshi.

Estimates of population

In 2003, former Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes alleged that there are there are more than 20,000,000 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India [ [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030928/main1.htm 2 cr Bangladeshis in India: Fernandes] Tribune India - September 27, 2003] .

The Government of Bangladesh claims that "there is not a single Bangladeshi migrant in India" [ [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030217/edit.htm#3 Problem of Bangladeshi migrants] ] [The Bengal Borderland: Beyond State and Nation in South Asia By Willem van Schendel By Willem van SchendelPublished 2005Anthem Press] .

Drain on Government

It is extremely hard to distinguish between illegal Bangaldeshis and local Bengali speakers [ http://www.gcim.org/attachements/GMP%20No%2042.pdf Indifference, impotence, and intolerance:transnational Bangladeshis in India, Sujata Ramachandran] . The Hindu has reported a case where Bangladeshis have been able to secure ration and voter identity cards [ [http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/09/stories/2007100961730800.htm 22 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh held] The Hindu - October 09, 2007] .

Assam spent Rs.1.7 billion between January 2001 and September 2006, which resulted in identification of 9,149 foreigners, only 1,864 could be deported back to Bangladesh. This amounts to Rs. 180,000 spent to deport an illegal Bangladeshi [http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20061215/32586.htm Rs.180,000 spent to deport an illegal Bangladeshi? By Syed Zarir Hussain, December 15, 2006 ]

India is building a fence along its entire border with Bangladesh [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4653810.stm Villagers left in limbo by border fence, 28 January 2006.] .

Allegations of terrorism and crime

Indian intelligence sources claim that terrorist groups have been recruiting Bangladeshis in India. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ULFA_losing_support_among_Assamese/articleshow/541834.cms 'Desperate' ULFA recruiting Bangladeshis] ] Indian police have alleged that some Bangladeshi insurgent groups were involved in several terrorist incidents in India. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hyderabad/22_illegal_Bangladeshi_migrants_held/articleshow/2440995.cms 22 illegal Bangladeshi migrants held] Times of India - October 9, 2007] The Government of Bangladesh have generally denied these reports. [ [http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnist1.asp?main_variable=Columnist&file_name=karlekar%2Fkarlekar151.txt&writer=karlekar India whining] The Pioneer - November 4, 2007] Some commentators have attributed the rise of terrorist attacks in North-East India to the rise of illegal immigration. [ [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IJ13Df01.html Embattled frontier] Asia Times - October 13, 2007]

Human trafficking

The Centre for Women and Children Studies estimated in 1998 that 27,000 Bangladeshis have been forced into prostitution in India [http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/banglad.htm Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Factbook on Global Sexual Exploitation, Donna M. Hughes, Laura Joy Sporcic, Nadine Z. Mendelsohn and Vanessa Chirgwin ] [Trafficking in Bangladeshi Women and Girls, by Bimal Kanti Paul; Syed Abu HasnathGeographical Review, p.268-276, April 2000] . Ahmedabad Crime Branch (ACB) has investigated a prostitution racket run by a Bangladeshi couple living in Ahmedabad. It believed over 500 women had been coerced into prostitution by illegal Bangladeshi agents in Gujarat. [http://www.3dsyndication.com/ShowArticle.asp?id=DNAHM5&i=1 500 trapped in Bangladeshi sex ring, November 01, 2007, Roxy Gagdekar & Anshuman Dutta] . [http://www.goacom.org/news/getStory.php?ID=1732 Bangladesh prostitution racket busted in Goa HERALD 15/07/05 ]

Settlement

Indian newspapers reported that "the state government has reports that illegal Bangladeshi migrants have trickled into parts of rural Bengal, including Nandigram [http://www.financialexpress.com/news/story/186579/ Left Front puts Nandigram land acquisition on hold, The Financial Express, March 18, 2007 ] , over the years, and settled down as sharecroppers with the help of local Left leaders. Though a majority of these immigrants became tillers, they lacked documents to prove the ownership of land [http://www.financialexpress.com/news/story/186579/ Left Front puts Nandigram land acquisition on hold, The Financial Express, March 18, 2007 ] ".

Politics

Allegations exist that other parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress have discriminated against Bengali-speaking Muslims. [ [http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/exec/view.cgi/44/24518 Making a 'menace' of migrants, Vir Sanghvi] The Nation - January 6, 2006] .Even though it must be noted that the number of Bengali-speaking muslims has increased multifold since independence, suggesting that many of these Bengali-speaking muslims are maybe illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

Court cases

In August 2008, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition by a Bangladeshi national against her deportation. The High Court ruled that the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants "pose a danger to India's internal security". [ [http://www.ibnlive.com/news/illegal-bangladeshi-immigrants-threat-to-india-court/71035-3.html Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants threat to India: court] ]

See also

* India-Bangladesh relations
* Nandigram SEZ controversy
* Illegal immigration
* Illegal entry

References

External links

* [http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/19/news/india.php Bangladeshis in Assam flee anti-migrant drive] , International Herald Tribune, May 20, 2005.