HVK Archives: Central mulls role in curbing infiltration
Central mulls role in curbing infiltration - The Telegraph
Posted By Krishnakant Udavant (krishnakant@vsnl.com)
February 3, 1999
Title: Central mulls role in curbing infiltration
Author:
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: February 3, 1999
The Centre is considering whether to enforce the Foreigners' Act
of 1946 on its own to stem the tide of illegal migrants from
Bangladesh into India.
According to senior home ministry officials, this is just one of
the steps under consideration to check the influx, especially
into West Bengal, Assam and the Northeastern states bordering
Bangladesh.
In fact, the home ministry is planning to insert its views on
enforcing the Act in a status report on the issue to be
submitted soon to the Supreme Court.
The Foreigners' Act is a central legislation, which was
delegated to the state governments, empowering them to book
foreigners entering without valid documents and staying on in
India without registering themselves at local police stations.
In the districts, superintendents of police have the powers to
execute the Act. The offices of superintendents of police have
a section where foreigners need to register themselves.
The home ministry is now planning to arm Central organisations,
including paramilitary forces like the BSF, the CRPF and Customs
with powers to use the Foreigners Act. "So far (only) the BSF
used to push Bangladeshis back into their territory," an
official said.
Home ministry sources believe given the "gravity of the
problem," it has become imperative that the 'Act is enforced
directly, particularly in the districts bordering Bangladesh.
"It has been noticed that the state governments have tailed to
prosecute foreigners under the Act, though there are some 1.5 to
1.8 crore illegal immigrants from Bangladesh residing in various
parts of the country," the sources say.
However, if the Centre goes ahead with the plan, it will be to
cheek only further infiltration. In line with this, the home
ministry intends to set up Bangladeshi Transfer Facilitation
Centres (BTFCs) in the border districts commonly used by
Bangladeshi migrants to cross over into India.
The finance ministry has already cleared the proposal which,
sources say, will soon be approved by home minister L.K. Advani.
Bangladeshis caught crossing over into India will be lodged in
the BTFCs, a euphemism for detention camps, before their
nationality is ascertained.
According to the scheme, details of the detainees and their
antecedents will be sent to Bangladeshi authorities for
verification before they are declared illegal immigrants.
At the same time, the central organisations will pursue cases
under the Foreigners' Act.
"The main purpose of the BTFCs will be demonstrative in nature,
" an official said, adding: "Beside attracting world attention
to the problem, we want to convey to the Bangladeshi officials
that their nationals have entered India illegally."
Dhaka has persistently denied any Bangladeshi national has
crossed over and illegally settled in India.
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