ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

In deportation lies the very real threat of sending out Indian Bengalis

The recent ruckus over the deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from Bombay only highlights the difficult nature of the problem. The Maharashtra government insists it is deporting only illegal immigrants; the government and political parties of West Bengal insist that innocent West Bengal Muslims are being victimised. To top it all, the Bangladesh authorities insist there are NO illegal immigrants in India and will, as it has in the past, stop them from being sent into Bangladesh. The matter is further compounded by the case of ideology and religion involved through the countries and political parties involved.

First, one must acknowledge that migration is a universal phenomenon. Hunger and poverty recognise no borders, and just as thousands of Indians seek to migrate to the West, legally or otherwise, in search of better opportunities, it is but inevitable that millions of poor Bangladeshis -- Hindus and Muslims -- will seek a better life here. In fact, with all the threats of midnight knocks and deportation, it is better for a poor Bangladeshi to try for a better life here than surely die of poverty in Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshis who have migrated to India over the years, and are probably still doing so, cannot simply be wished away. Then there is the incredibly difficult task of differentiating between a Bengali and a Bangladeshi. Their accents are different, but it is so subtle that only someone fluent in the Bengali language can notice the difference. A Marathi-speaking cop can hardly distinguish between the Bengali and Assamese languages.

Then comes the fact that most of the Bangladeshis anyway hold ration cards and some, even voting I-cards. So how is one to be sure that they are actually Bangladeshis and not Indians from Bengal? There are allegedly eight million Bangladeshis in India even though Dhaka claims the figure is zero! The Bangladeshi is more likely to have a ration card than a Bengali who takes his Indian citizenship for granted. Thus in deportation lies the very real threat of sending out Indian Bengalis, who are Muslims. This also gives the entire issue a communal tinge that only makes it worse, especially in light of the Shiv Sena's record on communal matters.

It appears virtually impossible to really find each and every one of the eight million Bangladeshis and deport them. It would require huge resources in terms of manpower, money, and time. Also, while states like Maharashtra and Assam are keen on driving out the Bangladeshis, other states like West Bengal may be more lax in the matter.

The way out is to immediately stop the further entry of illegal Bangladeshis into the country. The plan to fence the entire border, intermittently implemented, must be taken up on a war footing notwithstanding the protestations from Dhaka (Bangladesh would love to lose some of its vast population!). The move must be done sensitively, but firmly, rather than riding roughshod over our smaller neighbour. Thus, rather than waste precious resources on finding the millions spread out over India, let New Delhi spend the money on building a strong fence and halting fresh infiltration.

Another step is implementing the plan to issue identity cards to all Indians. This can be tricky because the millions of illiterate Indians on the border may never really understand the significance of the I-card. Worse, as poor people who move around in search of jobs, they are very likely to lose their cards and thus fall victims to overzealous deportation officials.

Thus, India needs to use information technology and build up a record of all Indians on this side of the border, which can be cross-checked. This will also make it difficult to forge ration cards, which is often used to acquire voting status and as proof of residence. The I-card system has to be more sophisticated than the present primitive ration card system.

Yet, the above mentioned steps can only be a stopgap measure. The United States has spent billions of dollars in trying to curb illegal migration from Mexico; but all they have achieved is to slow down the flow. Frankly, it will be the same here. No method, no matter how sophisticated, can be foolproof or impenetrable. Sheer poverty will push Bangladeshis into migrating to India.

Thus, in the long run, India will have to work alongside Bangladesh to eliminate poverty in both countries. It may appear galling to ask a broke New Delhi to help out Dhaka, yet, that is perhaps the only realistic long term solution. This will become even more imperative as India grows richer while Bangladesh languishes in poverty. Great inequality in wealth between neighbours can only result in migration. Thus Mexicans go to the US in droves while the Canadians don't. This is the reason why the European Union is seeking to help North Africa in its economic programmes and why the US is keen to protect the Mexican economy.

One must also not forget that Bangladesh is an artificial creation. While that cannot be undone, the goal must be towards integrating the economies, helping Bangladesh in its economic programmes and efforts to curb population (the very tasks that India is working on), and thereby obviate the need for thousands of Bangladeshis to seek their fortunes in India.

For instance, it has been pointed out that it was the creation of the Farakka barrage that reduced the flow of the Ganga water to Bangladesh. As a consequence, crops faltered. The Bangladeshis who suffered simply crossed the border to satiate their hunger. In a sense, the policy from the Indian side was not clearly thought out, and such mistakes cannot be repeated.

Beyond this is the larger issue of free market and migration. Ironically, India has been a votary of making migration for job purposes easier. Few remember that along with laissez faire (let free) were the words laissez passer (let pass). The former referred to commodities and goods while the latter was about people. New Delhi has been demanding that the West open up its job markets and make it easier for Indians to go abroad. Indian labourers have migrated to the Gulf countries and not all went legally. Similarly, Indians have been and still are migrating to the West in huge numbers seeking better opportunities and a better life. It is the same motive that makes a Bangladeshi leaves his home.

Amberish K Diwanji