The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday set a two-month deadline for the Centre and the Assam Government to take all steps to stop infiltration of Bangladeshis along the porous International Border (IB).
The order came on a report submitted by the SC-appointed Commissioner, senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika, highlighting large-scale infiltration that continued unabated along the border. His report showed incomplete border fencing, lack of patrolling, floodlights but no electricity supply, inadequate BSF and paramilitary patrol personnel, and massive gates situated along the fences through which villagers residing within 150 metres of the IB are allowed entry into India on special passes issued by the BSF.
Upset over the “ad-hocism” on display both by the Centre and the State Government, the Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Rohinton Nariman said: “This is something that the Union and State Government owe to the nation.”
Not long ago, on December 17, 2014, the SC had issued a slew of orders directing the Centre and Assam to finish fencing and road construction along the border and to increase surveillance to prevent any further infiltration. Although the Centre and State gave affidavits to suggest they were implementing the SC’s order, the Bench directed Hazarika to visit the IB and submit a report in a sealed cover.
Commending the job done by Hazarika, the Bench was alarmed at his report showing how the large riverine stretch in Dhubri sector was unmanned. The Indo-Bangladesh border with Assam has a length of 267.30 km. Out of this the land border is 223.068 km-long and there are river stretches for 44.232 km. Within 44.232 km, the Brahmaputra River has a stretch of 32.750 km in Dhubri district.
The river border cannot be fenced and hence requires intense patrolling, said the report, but ironically, there are no BSF or other paramilitary personnel to be seen there. Floodlights have come up as per the SC’s order but they are yet to receive power supply. In the fenced areas, Bangladeshis have set up villages just 150 metres from the IB. Hazarika shot a video of these villagers moving freely on the Indian side after showing some passes issued by the BSF.
“Perhaps this is the most porous border and infiltration merrily continues on a very large scale….We expect the Centre and State to take all requisite measures (as recommended in the report) forthwith,” said the Bench. Fixing two months for the State and Centre to take remedial steps, the Bench directed Hazarika to visit the IB again after two months and report compliance.
On a related issue concerning the status of children born to Bangladeshis living illegally in India, the Bench asked the Centre to suggest whether such children can be called Indian citizens by July 21, the next date of hearing.