MZP take up Chakma ‘influx’ issue with Amit Shah

via TNT on April 17, 2015

AIZAWl: Capitalising on the visit of BJP chief Amit Shah, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, Mizoram’s apex students’ body, has drawn his attention to the “abnormal increase” of Chakma population in southern Mizoram due to immigrants from the neighbouring Bangladesh.

In a memorandum to Shah, the MZP pointed out that the population of Chakmas, who are “not indigenous people” of Mizoram, has increased from a mere 198 in the first ever census in 1901 to 80,000 in 1991 Census.

“From 1901 till date, the Chakma population has increased by 44,004 percent, which is not possible normal human reproduction,” the MZP memorandum said.

Going by historical records, the MZP stated that Chakmas have never lived in Mizoram and have never been considered as indigenous people of the Mizoram. “During the British rule, the Lushai hills (Mizoram) administrators issued several orders time after time to control foreigners, and the Chakmas were one of the foreigners mentioned in those orders,” it said.

“When we were ruled by the Britishers, the Chakmas were allowed to stay for a year within Mizoram if they were willing to help out digging the roads around the state border. They were also permitted to stay up to three years if the administrators give them a special permit,” the memorandum said.

During the second census in 1911, there were 302 Chakmas in Mizoram. The population increased to 680 (225 percent growth) in 1921, then further to 836 (122.94 percent increase) in 1931. In the 1941 census, the Chakma population skyrocketed to 5,088 (608 percent increase), then further to 15,297 (300.64% growth) in 1951. In 1961 census, the figure rose to 19,327, and again to 22,392 in 1971, to 39,905 in 1981 and jumped to 80,000 in 1991, the MZP informed the BJP chief.

As it was no longer allowed to segregate the population by caste from 2001, the exact growth of Chakma population is now not known, but it is certain than they are roughly around 1,50,000.

The estimated number of Chakmas, that is 1,50,000, is extremely huge in comparison to the population of Mizoram which is a little more than 10 lakhs in the 2011 census, the MZP said.

As the abnormal growth of Chakmas in Mizoram strongly indicates illegal immigration from Bangladesh, the MZP urged the BJP president to take it seriously and intervene to solve the problem.

“Before the 2014 general election, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi visited one of our neighbouring states, Assam. During this visit he focused on the topic related to illegal immigrants and he assured that he will work towards deportation of foreigners from the country, and even after he becomes the country’s Prime Minister.”

“The north eastern states have been dealing with illegal immigrants and have suffered immensely. Out of all the North Eastern states, Mizoram is known to have been impacted the most. We were really excited and hopeful when we found out about the Prime minister’s resolution to help out with this issue,” the memorandum said.

Amit Shah, who kicked off his 13-day Northeast yatra in Aizawl yesterday, left for Kohima today after a night stay here.