In the previous session of the State Legislative Assembly, the State Government admitted that about five thousand people, the Rohingyas of Myanmar and Bangladeshis have come all the way and settled down in Jammu and Samba districts. The Government constituted a Group of Ministers to examine and report on these illegal immigrants. The GoM headed by the Deputy Chief Minister held one or two perfunctory meetings and fumbled for record and documents, which however were not forthcoming. Thereafter, the GoM adopted silence on the matter in the hope that it will die natural death.
A number of questions arise. Who are these people and why did they chose to immigrate? Why did they come to Jammu and not any other part of the State? How did these foreigners manage to travel all the way from their distant homes and yet they were not questioned at any place during their journey. How they managed to enter Indian Territory without genuine travel papers? How did they manage to get ration cards, Aadhaar cards and even the State Subject certificates which are not given even to those refugees who have been in the State for last seventy years. How come they obtained International Refugee cards from the UN/Red Cross? Why the previous Government never disclosed either their arrival or their number or their antecedents? Who is their sponsor, mentor or guide in or out of the State? There is another aspect of the episode. Why is not the State Government furnishing its report to the Home Ministry about how it is going to handle these illegal immigrants? Why is there great secrecy and mystery about a vital issue in which violation of the State Subject law is involved?
Undoubtedly there is something fishy about the matter. It appears a conspiracy with widespread network. Because the State Government has adopted silence, many doubts can be raised. Myanmar and Bangladesh Governments are reported to have come down with a heavy hand on their radical elements who have connection with extremist organizations abroad and are prompted to raise banner of insurgency against their home Governments. Their actual number is not known and according to an unconfirmed report it could be anything above ten thousand. That is not a small number. Their location in Jammu and Samba can be a security threat and that is for the intelligence agencies to ascertain. It is not an easy thing for thousands of these illegal immigrants to obtain UN refugee status cards or citizenship certificates of J&K Government unless some very powerful agency is working behind the curtain. Reports are that these immigrants arrived in Jammu in 2011 and then steadily residential facilities and documentation were extended to them silently. Deportation will be the least punishment given to these people for violating a plethora of rules both national and international. Their original documents should be seized forthwith to sift genuine from the fake and they have to be questioned on their mentors and handlers. International links of such clandestine organization must be exposed. Without waiting for the report of the GoM, the Home Ministry must take whatever legal and procedural action can be taken to resolve the issue.
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