The reported settlement of Bangladeshis and others ineligible for Indian citizenship in the slums of Dehradun needs to be verified without delay. Considering the potential threat to local and even national security posed by the presence of a considerable and unestablished population of illegal foreign nationals, this issue must be handled effectively, rising above party politics, said Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli.
Talking to The Pioneer, the mayor said, “Bangladeshis, Nepalis and others without valid citizenship of India are reported to have been settled in the past couple of years by those seeking ulterior political gain. This situation should not be taken lightly as it could also include elements which pose a potential threat to national security. A group of our councilors had recently met the chief electoral officer Radha Raturi to raise this issue and the CEO ordered an inquiry into this. Protest demonstration is slated to be held soon on this issue,” he said. When asked about the role of the municipal corporation of Dehradun in preventing such illegal settlements, the mayor said that on its own the MCD is incapable of taking necessary action in absence of support from the police and district administration. “We have on many occasions initiated drives against illegal constructions but in order to take effective action we need adequate support of the police and district administration. Though their numbers have not been established yet, the Bangladeshis and other illegal aliens reportedly settled here pose a serious threat which needs to be addressed effectively without delay while rising above party politics,” stressed Chamoli.
It will be recalled BJP councilors among others had recently raised the issue accusing an MlA of having facilitated settlement of people illegally in slums with voter cards also purportedly being made for such ineligible persons. Observers point out that it is an open secret acknowledged by public representatives and the public that some politicians have facilitiated illegal settlement of people from outside the State in the State capital especially along and on the riverbed of Rispana and Bindal rivers. With more than a 100 such settlements in Dehradun and State Government intending to regularise the slums, it remains to be seen whether the authorities are able to identify any element posing security threat at a time when politicians have stepped up activity to consolidate their position in the 2017 assembly elections.