Author: Digambar Patowary
Publication: Hindustan Times
Date: March 11, 2002
An alley between two dargahs of
the same name on either side of the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Garo
Hills district of Meghalaya is arguably the busiest infiltration route
into India.
Despite vigil by the BSF and border
fences, Bangladeshis invariably creep into India pretending to be pilgrims
to the Bangladeshi dargah and wishing to visit the Indian dargah.
Sources say this border area, called
Mahendragani, has now become the hub of anti-India propaganda fuelled by
some of the infiltrators who are backed by Islamic fundamentalists and
militants. The area has also been witness to two major communal riots since
1992.
The Hajrat Peer Shah Kamal Fakir
Dargah is on a mount at the junction of Meghalaya, Assam and Bangladesh.
The border fence ends at the base of the mound on either side, for it would
have bisected the dargah had it been run through.
After the war in 1971, a similar
dargah was built in Bangladesh, 200 m from the border fence and called
the same name. The Bangladeshis also developed a small road between the
two dargahs, to facilitate the movement of Muslim devouts.
Move they do, but more to sneak
into Meghalaya and Assam than for pilgrimage.
According to locals, the Indian
dargah is run by a woman and three boys, who take turns watching out for
BSF patrols. If the coast is clear, people waiting at the Bangladeshi dargah
are herded into the Indian dargah through the door facing Bangladesh, and
they exit through a door opposite.