Even as the population of Bangladeshi infiltrators and refugees in Odisha, particularly in coastal districts, are reportedly rising day by day, it is disappointing that the State Government has no record in this regard.
It is so evident from the fact that the State Government has not been able to furnish information in the State Assembly for long regarding the numbers of Bangladeshi infiltrators entering Odisha illegally and refugees settled and availing Government provisions even though MLAs have wanted to know in this regard many times putting questions.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been giving a one-line reply, “Information is being collected’ to questions asked by MLAs starting with the then MLA Arun Dey in 2005 to Kailash Chandra Kulesika on September 10 during the ongoing session.
In his question, Kulesika wanted to know the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators and refugees residing in Odisha, the places they are living and the steps being taken by the State Government to combat possible threat to the country’s sovereignty by them. He also wanted to know if the Government has received any complaint that infiltrators are involved in Maoist and terrorist activities and whether media reports are true that many infiltrators have been issued ration, voter and Aadhaar cards.
To so many important and sensitive questions, the Chief Minister replied, “Information is being collected”.
It may be noted that newspapers have reported many times that Bangladesh infiltrators have come into and settled in coastal areas of Kendrapada and Baleswar districts and even in capital city of Bhubaneswar. Some of them have also reportedly been involved in many nefarious activities like ganja, opium and country liquor trades.
Intellectuals have demanded that the State Government make a detailed survey and check Bangladeshi infiltration at the earliest for security of the State and the country.