New Delhi: A “planned” influx of people from Bangladesh into the Northeast is taking place as part of a proxy warfare by Pakistan with support from China with an aim to keep the area disturbed, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said.
Referring to reports of increase in Muslim population in several districts of Assam, the Army Chief also talked about Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) in the state, observing that its growth has been “faster” than that of the BJP in the 1980s.
“A planned immigration is taking place because of our western neighbour. They will always try and ensure that this area is taken over, playing the proxy dimension of warfare,” Gen. Rawat said, talking about influx of people from Bangladesh into the Northeast.
He was addressing a conference on bridging gaps and securing borders in the Northeast region.
“I think the proxy game is well played by our western neighbour, supported by our northern border (China) to keep the area disturbed. We will continue to see some migration happening. The solution lies in identifying the problem,” he said.
Influx of illegal Bangladeshis is a major issue in Assam and the state government is now coming out with a national register of citizens to find out those living illegally in the state.
“There is a party called AIUDF. If you look at it, they have grown in a faster time-frame than the BJP grew over the years,” he said, while referring to the BJP winning only 2 seats in 1984,” the General said.
