A forgotten Hero of Assam and East Bengal rooted Mia Muslim political graph

" A forgotten Hero of Assam and East Bengal rooted Mia Muslim political graph " the article is trying to find out the reality of Assam and Muslim presence pre independent era and now.If you are in puzzle to find out the hero ! The obviously he was none of except Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla who was one of the foremost political leaders of modern Assam and the first Premier (also referred to as Prime Minister or Chief Minister) of the Assam province, one of the major eight provinces of British India.The family of Saadulla hails from Sibsagar and claims to be the descendant of the famous Muslim preacher Azan Pir, who came to Assam in the early 17th century to spread the message of Islam.

Syed Md. Tayebbullah, the father of Saadulla, moved to Gauhati where he served as a teacher of Arabic and Persian in Cotton Collegiate High School at Gauhati town. Saadulla was born in Gauhati on May 21, 1885. He got his early school education at Sonaram High School at Gauhati. He then joined the Cotton College, Gauhati, and took his Post-Graduation degree in Chemistry from the Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1906. Subsequently he took the Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the Earle Law College at Gauhati in 1907. Besides Assamese and Bengali he was also fluent in Arabic, Persian and Urdu.

1. Early life of Syed Muhammad Saadulla :-

Before Saadulla started his legal profession at Gauhati Bar, he served for a short stint as Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry at the Cotton College in 1908. He practiced at the Calcutta High Court. Within a short time, he became an eminent lawyer.

2. Political mileage of Syed Muhammad Saadulla :-

Then he joined politics and became the member of the first Legislative Council in 1913. He was re-elected in 1923. Under the system of Diarchy, he served as Minister of Education and Agriculture from 1924-29. In recognition of his public services, the British government knighted Saadulla in 1928. He, as a member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Assam, also became Minister for Law and Order and PWD from 1929-30, and again served as Minister for Finance and Law and Order from 1930-1934. He was also the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee from 1933 to 1934.The Government of India Act, 1935 was adopted by the British Parliament on 2nd August, 1935 and was implemented in 1937. The Government of India Act 1935 made provisions for a Legislative Assembly in each province. In 1937 Assam Legislative Assembly election was held. In the same year Saadulla formally joined the Muslim League in response to MA Jinnah’s appeal.

3. Syed Muhammad Saadulla's contribution to Assam :-

Saadaulla was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Kamrup South and served as Premier of a coalition government from April 1, 1937 to Sept. 19, 1938. A Congress government led by Gopinath Bordoloi succeeded from Sept. 19, 1938 to Nov. 17, 1939. Saadulla was again re-elected as Premier from Nov. 17, 1939 to Dec. 24, 1941. He, for the third time, became the Premier from Aug. 25, 1942 to Feb. 11, 1946. From 1937-1946 there were 34 Muslim members in the Assam Legislative Assembly, out of the total 108 members (For the list of names see Appendix I).

Saadulla was closely associated with the All India Muslim League. He attended the 10th session of the League at Calcutta in Dec. 1917, and served as a member of the Committee which negotiated the Lucknow Accord between the Muslim League and the Congress. In 1946, he attended demand for Pakistan and favoured Assam’s inclusion in Pakistan. He renounced the knighthood in response to the call of the All-India Muslim League in connection with the “Direct Action” call to achieve Pakistan. However, on partition, when Assam opted out of Pakistan, he stayed in Assam and did not migrate to Pakistan.

4.  Syed Muhammad Saadulla's line system:-

In spite of his impressive political accomplishments Saadulla today remains the least remembered political figure of the state as he was associated with Jinnah’s All India Muslim League and supported two-nation theory. He was and still today often charged with deliberate settlement of Bengali Muslims in Assam through the scheme, introduced by him, known as the Line System. Thereby, the contributions that he had made in building a modern Assam in his capacity as Premier of Assam is today not acknowledged by the Assamese.

5. Why Syed Muhammad Saadulla is forgotten:-

An article in Muslim India (Jan. 1987) sums up the contributions of Saadulla thus: “He was an able parliamentarian, an eloquent speaker, an experienced administrator, moderate and liberal in his approach. Saadulla is regarded as one of the makers of modern Assam. As head of the Assam Government, he took particular interest in planning and development, in rural uplift, in eradication of unemployment, in land reform and in promotion of cottage industries. For the development of the low-lying regions of the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, he favoured and encouraged immigration of peasants from Bengal and should be given credit for the agricultural development of Assam, particularly the introduction of jute in the Assam valley. His critics charge him with deliberate settlement of Bengali Muslims in Assam.”In another write-up in The Milli Gazette (16-30 Sept. 2002) Saadulla was described thus: “Saadulla was well-known for his generosity, honesty and ability. He was a matured, widely respected and accepted political leader of his time. He was a friend and guide of the tribal people of North-east India. In his first cabinet itself, he included a tribal leader, J.J.M. Nichols Roy as one of his ministers. He was regarded as an outstanding personality both on account of his experience, ability and honesty… he was in a class different from any other politician in Assam.”

6.  Pre independent Muslim MLA's of Assam:-

Appendix-I
Muslim members of Assam Legislative Assembly - 1937-46

No.	Name of Member			Constituency
1.	Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla			Kamrup (South)
2.	Shams-ul-Ulama Maulana Abu Nasr Muhammad Waheed			Sylhet Sadr (Central)
3		Abdul Aziz	South Syhlet (Central)
4.		Abdul Bari Chaudhury	Sunamganj(Smlth) Muhammadan
5		Abdul Hamid Khan	Dhubri (South)
6		Khan Bahadur Hazi Abdul Majid Chaudhury	Karimganj (Central)Muhammadan.
7		Abdul Matin Choudhury	Sylhet Sadar (East)
8		Abdur Rahman	Habiganj (South-East)
9		Sayed Abdul Rouf	Barpeta, Muhammadan
10		Md. Abdus Salam	Sylhet Sadar (North)
11		Dewan Muhammad Ahbab Choudhury	Sunamganj (East)
12		Dawan Ali Raja	Habiganj (North-West)
13.		Mohammad Amjad Ali	Goalpara (East)
14		Mohammad Amiruddin	Nowgong Mohhemedan (East)
15.		Ashrafuddin Md. Choudhury	Habiganj (South East)
16		Badaruddin Ahmed	Darrang Muhammedan
17.		Khan Bahadur Dewan Eclimur Roza Choudhury	Sylhet Sadar (West)
18		Fakaruddin Ali Ahmed	Kamrup North
19		Ghyasuddin Ahmed	Dhubri (West)
20		Jhanuddin Ahmed	Dhubri (North Muhammadan)
21		Khan Bahadur Keramet Ali	Sibsagar, Muhammadan
22		Matior Rahman Mia	Goalpara (West)
23.		Muhammad Maqbul Hussain Choudhury	Sunamganj (West)
24.		Khan Bahadur Maulavi Mahamud Ali	Sibsagar Muhammadan
25		Mabarak Ali	Karimganj (West) Muhammadan
26		Mudabbir Hussain Choudhury.	Habiganj (North East)
27		Khan Bahadur Maulavi Mafizur Rahman	Sylhet Sadar (South)
28		Munawwar Ali	Sunamganj (Central) Muhammadan
29		Muzarrof Ali Laskar	Hailakandi Muhammadan
30		Aanwar Ali Barbhuiya	Silchar Muhammadan
31		Naziruddin Ahmed	South Sylhet (West)
32		Sheik Osman Ali Sadagar	Sadagor Muhammadan Constituency. Nowgong.
33		Khan Sahib Maulavi Sayidur Rahman	Lakhipur Muhammadan.
34		Muhammad Ali Haidar Khan	South-Sylhet (east)

Source: assamassembly.gov.in/mla-1937-46.html

Appendix-II
Muslim Members of Assam Legislative Assembly - 1946-1952

No.	Name of Member	Constituency
1	Muhammad Abdullah	Habiganj(South-East)
2	Khan Bahadur Abdul Majid Ziaosh Shams	Dhubri (West)
3	Muhammad Abdul Kasham	Dhubri (South)
4	Abdul Bari Choudhury	Sunamganj (South)
5	Dewan Abdul Basith	South Sylhet (Central)
6	Abdul Hai	Kamrup (North)
7	Abdul Hamid	Sylhet Sadar (Central)
8	Abdul Khaleque Ahmed	Sunamganj (West)
9	Abdul Kuddus Khan	Goalpara (East)
10	Md. Abdul Latif	Karimganj (Central)
11	Abdul Matin Chaudhuri	Darrang
12	Abdul Matlib Mazumdar	Halakandi
13	Abdur Rasheed	Sylhet Sadar (East)
14	Dewan Abdur Rob Choudhury	Sylhet Sadar (South)
15	Syed Abdur Rouf	Barpeta
16	Afazuddin Ahmed	Nowgong (East)
17	Md. Ali Haidar Khan	South Sylhet (East)
18	Emran Hussain Chaudhury	Sibsagar
19	Maulana Ibrahim Ali	Sylhet, Sadar (North)
20	M. Idris Ali	Karimganj (West)
21	Md. Mafiz Choudhury	Sunamganj (West)
22	Makabbir Ali Mazumdar	Silchar
23	Mayeenud Din Ahamed Choudhury	South Sylhet (East)
24	Md. Mased Ali	Dhubri (North)
25	Khan Sahib Maulavi Mudabbir Hussain Choudhuri	Habiganj, (South- West)
26	Mumtazul Muhaddisin Moulana Md. Mufazzal Hussain	Karimganj (South)
27	Munawwar Ali	Sunamganj (Central)
28	Nasir-ud-Din Ahmed	Habiganj (South-West)
29	Md. Nazmal Haque	Goalpara (West)
30	Khan Sahib Nurul Hussain Khan	Habiganj (South-West)
31	Khan Bahadur Muhammad Roufique.	Nowgong (West).
32	Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla	Kamrup (South)
33	Khan Bahadur Sayidur Rahman	Lakhimpur
34	Dewan Taimur Raza Choudhury	Sylhet Sadar (West)

Source: assamassembly.gov.in/mla-1946-52.html

7.  Presence of Muslim MLA's showing messages:-

The number of MLA's is a clear indication that pre independent Assam and present Assam is same but a few self styled organisation want to say that Muslims are coming from foreign country.First, that illegal immigration of Bengali Muslim peasants from neighbouring Bangladesh into Assam has been continuing unabated, leading to skewed demographic profiles of Assam’s districts bordering Bangladesh and thereafter, turning several adjoining districts of Assam to Muslim majority.
Second, that these illegal Bengali Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh have rapaciously encroached upon and occupied land belonging to the native communities, thereby creating a volatile situation for potential violence and lethal clashes between illegal immigrants and natives.Third, that the ethnic clash that began between the native Bodos (‘Hindu’ Bodos, as emphatically pointed out by the Election Commissioner Shri H. S. Brahma who hails from the community) and illegal Muslim immigrants settled in Kokrajhar was a result of aggression and attack by the latter on the Bodos, emboldened by their growing numerical strength, or in the least, was a spontaneous reaction of Bodos to the growing aggression of the immigrants and progressive usurpation of native land and resources by them.The above perceptions are, however, far from accurate. In order to understand why, it would be important to carefully re-examine how they have emerged, the inherent flaws in the assumptions and what the reality actually is.

‘Migration’ rather than ‘illegal immigration’ is largely responsible for demographic transformation.
The migration of Bengali Muslim peasants from East Bengal into Assam has certainly transformed the demography of the latter, more noticeably in some districts, but to claim all of it happened due to illegal immigration from Bangladesh is not only historically incorrect, but wilful distortion of facts.

Source: Professor Nilim Dutta

8. Reality of East Rooted Muslim in Assam:-

The migration of Bengali Muslim peasants from erstwhile East Bengal began in the 1800s after the British annexed Assam in 1826, with the Treaty of Yandaboo after defeating the Burmese in the First Anglo Burmese War. ‘Malevolent’ colonial policies of the British in Bengal, such as the Permanent Settlement, had already wreaked Bengal’s economy and pauperized its artisans and peasantry. Severe exploitation under its zamindari system added to the woes of the peasantry. In the geographically contiguous province of Assam, population density was low, land was abundant and there was no zamindari system. It was just a matter of time before an impoverished and harassed Bengali Muslim peasantry began migrating in a trickle which became a deluge, encouraged by the British. It served their purpose to settle large numbers of Bengalis on vacant land to increase land revenue, as well as have readily available cheap labour in a labour-deficient province. Initially, the immigrants were welcomed by even the Assamese landed gentry for the cheap labour.By the second decade of the 20th century, however, this incessant influx became a cause for alarm and a ‘Line System’ was introduced in the affected districts of Nagaon and Kamrup in 1920, restricting immigrants from settling beyond certain limits on land over which natives claimed rights. That is how vast tracts of land in the then undivided Nagaon, Kamrup and Goalpara districts came to be settled by immigrant Bengali Muslim peasants in the decades before Partition, and independence.With each successive group of immigrants, and with restrictions imposed barring their indiscriminate spread, the quality of land they found to settle themselves on, became progressively degraded. Many were left to settle on marshy wastelands and the shifting sandbars of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries called chars or chaporis in the vast floodplains of the valley. This is where a substantial percentage of their descendents still live after nearly a century. At the mercy of annual floods, shifting of the chars regularly and incessant erosion of their lands by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, a large percentage of the Muslim population of immigrant origin in these districts is rendered homeless regularly. To eke out a living, they often migrate to the towns and cities as construction labourers, vegetable vendors or rickshaw pullers, living in ghettoized shanty towns, raising the spectre of illegal Bangladeshis in minds of a hostile urban elite with little sympathy or insight into realities of life about the areas they have migrated from. Source: Professor Nilim Dutta

Guest post by Dr. Syed Ahmed:-

Dr Syed Ahmed is an Indian politician and author. Dr Syed obtained his masters from Lucknow University and his PhD from Bombay University. He has written an autobiography, Pagdandi se Shahar Tak. His other works authored include Maktal se Manzil, Kafas se Chaman and Jange-Azaadi Me Urdu Shayari.Catch him at his official website 

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Complex calculation of Ethnic Strife from another perspective in Assam

I ( Utpal Brahma ) keep track of my family ancestory. My great great grand father (paternal) was a General under the Koch army, but he was a Boro and hailed from the same village as the founder of Koch dynasty. My grand mother had Bhutanese blood in her.My mother is Koch + Kalita + Rabha. My wife is a Kayastha main stream Assamese.So what am I ? What about my children ? My direct reply in this query , first a human beings later Assamese or else.

1.Recent disturbance and fleet:-

The recent disturbance in Assam and its fallout and mass exodus of NE Indians from other parts of India.What began as an isolated communal conflict here in the remote state of Assam, a vicious if obscure fight over land and power between East Bengal migrated Muslims and the indigenous Bodo tribe, has unexpectedly set off widespread panic among northeastern migrants who had moved to more affluent urban cities for a piece of India’s rising prosperity.

Like a fever, fear has spread across India this week, from big cities like Bangalore to smaller places like Mysore, a contagion fueling a message: Run. Head home. Flee. And that is what thousands of migrants from the country’s distant northeastern states are doing, jamming into train stations in an exodus challenging the Indian ideals of tolerance and diversity. Assam, which has about 31 million people, has a long history of ethnic strife. The current violence is focused on the westernmost region of the state, which is claimed by the Bodos as their homeland. For years, Bodo insurgent groups fought for political autonomy, with some seeking statehood and others seeking an independent Bodo nation .

2.Ethnic Strife from another perspective:-

Energy crisis - mass migration - changing demographics - ethnic strife - economic stagnation and recession - melting polar icecap - rapid extinction of many species - environmental degradation - disappearing coral reef - rise of fundamentalism - growing food crisis ------

3.Human civilization at a crossroad:-

The world and human civilization as we know is at a crossroad, But when we analyze all these seemingly unrelated events -- the root cause of all lies in - the economic model that solely depends on increasing consumerism to sustain an model that demands relentless growth. Unless the world undergoes a paradigm shift - the I'll effects will continue to manifest in many forms just like a multi headed hydra from the ancient Greek epics.Throughout history, we have seen several civilizations rise to the zenith only to eventually decline and even collapse -- be it the Harappan, Sumer, Egyptian, Norsk in Greenland, the Mayans.One of the key reasons for the eventual decline of civilizations was over utilization of resources leading to the collapse of the environment which led to the eventual downfall of the economic and social order.

4.Present civilization:-

The present order seem to be heading in the same direction, The key difference is that, unlike in the past -- which were more regional or local civilization -- this time the impact could be far wide and global. This is the first case where human led -- fossil fuel based economic order has caused world wide global environmental change. We are yet to understand the full impact of this global environmental change.

5.Environmental changing:-

As the water level keeps on rising, as the regional drought intensifies, as the polar ice cap melts, as the glaciers start receding, as the challenge to feed the world intensifies -- it is likely to increase tension between contending nations vying over the same resources. A particular hot spot is going to be our South Asia. Melting of the Himalayan ice cap and rising sea levels will inundate large areas of low lying Bangladesh (as much as 30% of the land in next 50 years) and the people have to move somewhere.

6. Demographic balance:-

This will cause further tension in the region where there is already a growing concern over changing demographic balance.The above scenario was actually predicted in a study published (in 2003 )in a School of Strategic studies at a leading US University .The other parts only testifies what might be in store for us when resource crunch intensifies with further environmental change. Soon we will see wars being fought between nations to control the essential resources of food, energy and habitat -- which will only be further strained unless we control the environmental degradation and adopt a new economic paradigm.

Conclusion:-

We are not YET at a point of no return. Only what is missing is a global consensus at the leadership level -- who are yet to be cognizant of the scale of the impending crissis.

Guest post contributed by Utpal Brahma:-

Utpal Brahma has done his Bachelors in Engineering from IIT kanpur and MBA from IIM Calcutta. Currently lives in South Jersey,USA.Catch him in Facbook.

Ground survey of Illegal immigration in Assam: Myth or reality ?

Whenever there is a riot in Assam involving Muslims, it’s alleged that clash is not between Muslims and other community (say Hindus for example) but between Indians and illegal immigrants. The accusations of illegal immigrants are solely made on the assumption, which is bereft of any rationality.It is more a political issue now, and many such accusations are made to appease a particular constituency.

 

There seems to be a concerted effort to brand utterly poor, illiterate and voiceless Indian citizens as illegal immigrants.

1.Harassment and communal violence in Assam:-

These kinds of repeated accusations during last three decades have created a belief among a large section of population that most Bengali speaking Muslims of Assam are illegal immigrants. The word ‘Bangladeshi’ has become derogatory remark in Assam now. Most Muslims at some point of time directly or indirectly have been abused as Bangladeshis, thus in the name of illegal immigrants, genuine Indian citizens are abused and harassed.This sense of suspicion towards Bengali speaking Muslims is alarming and is a threat to communal harmony. Muslims have made their presence felt in Assam as early as 1206; since then from time to time they settled in Assam after coming from different places. Migration of Bengali Muslim peasants from the then East Bengal to Assam started in early 19thcentury, it grew by later part of 19th and early 20th century. In 1951, Muslim population of Assam was 24.7%.

2.Ground reality of illegal immigration in Assam :-

Illegal immigration in Assam cannot be denied but it is inflated, over hyped and highly exaggerated. The inflated numbers of infiltrators often quoted is more a myth than a reality. A few examples will decode the myth.According to Assam Accord, March 25, 1971 is the cut-off date to identify foreigners, i.e.whoever migrated to India before 1971 is a bona fide Indian citizen and whoever came after that is not. Now, let us compare the growth of Muslims during 1971-1991 in India and Assam along with other states.

Muslim growth rate: India (71.47) , Assam (77.42) , U.P (76.30) , West Bengal (77.35), Madhya Pradesh( 80.76), Maharashtra (80.15), Haryana (88.36) , Manipur (88.36) , Punjab (110.32) , Rajasthan (89.29), Tripura ( 89.0) and Himachal Pradesh (77.64).

The above figures show that growth rate of Muslims in largely populated states is higher than that of Assam. Nobody has claimed that higher growth rate of these states is due to illegal immigration. Then why these double standards when it comes to Assam? Why comparatively lower growth rate of Muslims in the state is attributed to illegal immigration?

Now let us examine the growth rate among SC and ST within the greater Hindu community. SC : India ( 72.78) , Assam (81.84), Andhra Pradesh (83. 67), West Bengal ( 82.40), Maharashtra (189.44), Manipur (126.58), Meghalaya (133.39), Karnataka (91.41), Rajasthan (86.67), Madhya Pradesh ( 76.52), Punjab (71.51), Haryana (71.47) etc. Thus the growth rate among Schedules castes is higher in few states and more or less equal in other states. For Assam, and India as a whole, it is higher than that of Muslims.

The growth among ST is: India ( 78.24), Assam (78.91), Andhra Pradesh (153.34), Madhya Pradesh (83.60), Maharashtra (147.72), Manipur (89), Tamil Nadu ( 84.32) and Tripura (89.38). These growth rates are also higher than that of Muslims.

From the above figures, it is seen growth rate during 1971-1991 in India among different groups is as follows: Hindus (52.24), Muslims (71.47), SC (72.78), and ST (78.24), while for Assam it is: Hindus (41.89), Muslims (77.42), SC (81.84) and ST (78.91). This clearly shows that the growth rate among Muslims is much higher that of the growth rate of Hindus as a whole. But when separately examined, the growth rate of SC and ST (within Hindus), it is seen that their growth rates are still higher than that of Muslims. This trend exists almost everywhere in India.

Therefore growth among Muslims in Assam is not abnormally higher; many states have higher growth among Muslims than Assam, is that because of illegal immigration too? Growth among SC and ST is also higher in Assam than Muslims, is that also because of illegal immigration?

One thing that is similar to the higher growth rate among Muslims, SC and ST is poverty and illiteracy, which promotes high fertility rate. But hardly anyone introspects it and everyone at his liberty, blames illegal immigartion for the higher growth rate of Muslims in Assam.

3. Political issue of illegal immigration in Assam:-

In 2004, former MoS for Home Affairs Sri Prakash Jaiswal said in the floor of the Parliament that there are 50 lac illegal immigrants in Assam. Though he retracted the statement a week later, but the intended damage had been done. The over hyping brigade quotes Jaiswal's statement everywhere they discuss the issue of illegal immigrants. And those who only accuse Muslims as Bangladeshis go about the town saying there are 50 lac Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam.Just to remind them, according to 1971 census the Muslim Population of Assam was 35.9 lac and as per 2001 census it has increased to 82.4 lacs, thus there is overall increase of 47.3 lacs Muslim population since 1971. And according to Assam accord those who settled in India before 25 March 1971 are Indian citizens, therefore it is ridiculous to say that there are 50 lacs Bangladeshi Muslims in Assam.

Isn’t this a well-planned strategy to brand Indian Muslims as Bangladeshis? At the peak of Assam agitation some spoke of two crore illegal immigrants in North East. Almost twenty years later the entire population of North-East, according to 2001 census is 40 million i.e. 4 crores. Surely terming half of the population of North East as illegal immigrants is way above exaggeration and irrational. Thus over-hyping and exaggerating the illegal immigration issue is a deep conspiracy to brand Indian Muslims as Bangladeshis to deny them basic human rights.

4. Lt Gen (Rtd) Ajay Singh and  illegal immigration in Assam :-

Another ridiculous figure that is often quoted is of former governor of Assam Lt Gen (Retd) Ajay Singh, who made a statement that on an average about 6000 illegal immigrants come to Assam daily, which makes around 20.1 lacs every year. This figure also is also inflated and irrational. The length of India-Bangladesh border in Assam is 263kms, the entire border is still not fenced and remains to be porous. But whoever has seen the border would agree that the entire region is well guarded by Border Security Forces, wherever there is no fencing BSF Jawans guard the border area from ground and light posts. Being a former army officer and then holding a constitutional post, Lt Gen Singh didn’t only dent his credibility by making such a bizarre statement, but also insulted BSF Jawans who guard the border day and night.There are many such exaggerated figures which from time to time have been made by several individuals just to vent their personal indigestions, and many a time to satisfy their political motives and none among this crowd has quoted any authentic sources while making such inflated statements.

5.Why this myth of illegal immigration in Assam:-

Illiteracy and acute poverty are rampant among Bengali speaking Muslims of Assam, and early marriages obviously lead to high fertility rates and this is the major cause of high growth rate among Muslims. It would not be wrong to say that a Muslim woman becomes mother of three by the time her Hindu counterpart gets married.The grave problem Assam is facing today is the illiteracy, poverty and lack of awareness but for obvious reasons, cooked up illegal immigrants’ issue has unfortunately dominated the narrative.Whenever new settlers arrive in an area, without bothering to check their antecedents, they are labelled as Bangladeshis. Well, few could be, who knows? But the fact remains that there are more than 2500 chars or river islands in the Brahmaputra where more than 90 per cent population comprises of Bengali speaking Muslims. These people migrated at the same time as people who settled in mainland, but choose to settle in these Chars because they were vacant and fertile at the same time. With their hardwork they grew crops on these lands but nature was not so kind to these people. With Brahmaputra fury every year, the lands got eroded and these people lost their cultivation, forcing them to migrate to other areas, where they were branded illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Majuli, which a was once world’s largest river island has been shrunk to half its size because of mass erosion. The island has been reduced to 514 sq. km from 1244 sq. km in 1950, according to state government figures, and this after spending crores to protect it. But no efforts have been made to protect other 2500 much smaller islands scattered all over Brahmaputra, and to be fair it is impossible to protect small river islands from erosion.

According to a survey about 1053 sq. km of river bank has been eroded in the last 18 years, and more than half of it lies in lower Assam, which is densely populated with Bengali speaking Muslims. More than 2 million Muslims have been affected and displaced by erosion of chars and river bank in last few decades. Thus these erosion affected internally displaced people migrate to mainland to settle only but to their dismay, they are labelled as a fresh batch of illegal immigrants.

Conclusion:-

No one wants illegal immigration problem to be solved more than the Muslims of Assam, because it is they who suffer from it the most. It is the Muslims who are abused, killed and hounded out of their homes in the name of illegal immigrants. Politics over the issue has made it more complex. The communal brigade has done everything to polarize views on illegal immigration and that’s why genuine Indian Muslims citizens are being branded as illegal immigrants. This complex problem must be fought by a logical approach, based on facts not feelings.

This guest post is contributed by Wadud Aman:-

Wadud Aman is a freelance journalist and secular humanitarian.Catch the Avid Reader, Terrible Writer, Argumentative Indian, Secular Liberal Democrat, Inter-faith Enthusiast in Twitter .