Addressing a seminar on ‘North East Region of India — Bridging Gaps and Securing Borders’, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat explained the influx of people from Bangladesh into the North East by citing the growth of Maulana Badruddin Ajmal led AIUDF. Referring to the fact that BJP won only two seats in 1984, he said, ‘AIDUF is moving at a faster pace’. “AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) have grown in a faster time-frame than the BJP grew over the years. When we talk of Jan Sangh with two MPs & where they have reached, AIUDF is moving at a faster pace in the state of Assam,” said Rawat, as per ANI. He added that perfume baron Ajmal-led AIUDF has displayed faster growth than what the BJP had in its early years. Notably, the party, at present, has three parliamentarians in Lok Sabha and 13 legislators in the state assembly.
Highlighting the concerns of increasing immigration from Bangladesh, he called the immigration ‘planned’. Apparently accusing Pakistan and China for the situation, he said this proxy game is being played by ‘our western neighbour, supported also by our northern neighbour’.
While stating the above, he also pointed out that all the Muslims residing in the North East region can’t be painted with the same brush. He outlined that the Muslim population actually started coming into Assam from 1218 to 1226. He urged people to appreciate to live in harmony with all the people irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or sex. He added that secluding them will only create trouble for us (India) and thereby, we must strive for ‘amalgamation’.
Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, speaking at the event, claimed China made an attempt to “split” India from Bhutan through last year’s 73-day-long Doklam standoff. He said that China wanted to show the people of Bhutan that ‘India could not defend their security’, as per an ANI tweet.
