Tensions build on Indo-Bangladesh border

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Indian and Bangladeshi border troops are on high alert after the two sides failed to resolve a row over hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims.

Both countries accuse each other of trying to force about 200 people at the centre of the row over their respective border.

Fears are growing for the well-being of the group, most of them snake charmers and their children.

They face their fourth night in make-shift tents, trapped in no-man’s land between the towns of Lalmonirhat and Cochbihar on either side of the border.

Many are said to be falling ill in the cold, wet conditions.

Dhaka says Delhi is in breach of international law and has wrongly identified them as illegal immigrants.

India has told local officials to prepare to evacuate villagers along the frontier after talks failed to resolve the dispute on Monday.

“Residents of Satgachi and its nearby areas are likely to be evacuated in view of the high tension along the border,” one senior Calcutta police official, NC Ghosh, told the Associated Press.

Indian officials have denied reports that border guards exchanged fire on Monday.

They told the BBC that no such incident had taken place.

In other reported trouble, Bangladesh’s state-run news agency said at least 30 people were injured when Indian and Bangladeshi civilians clashed along the frontier.

Delhi says the two countries have an agreement that, if people are detained while crossing the border on both sides, the country to which they belong should immediately accept them.

Bangladesh says in the past month, India has tried to force more than 2,000 Bengali-speakers across the border and that the overwhelming majority of them are Muslims from the Indian state of West Bengal.

But an Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman said they had documentary evidence the disputed people were Bangladeshi citizens.

Relations between India and Bangladesh have historically been good, but they worsened recently after Delhi ordered a crackdown on Bangladeshi immigrants.

India says up to 20 million Bangladeshis are in the country illegally. Dhaka says there are no Bangladeshis living illegally in India.

Meanwhile, those at the centre of the row are facing an increasingly dire situation.

India’s astounding ability to develop friendships with its neighbours becoming evident again…

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This is perhaps the 1000th incident in recent years. Constant influx of Bangladeshis is changing the demography of entire north-east part of India. Though they are dirt poor and not jehadi types (atleast majority of them) they are considerable nuissance to Governments in that region. Unfortunately this problem is also due to Marxist Government of West Bengal who used these people as vote bank.

Funny thing is even their own Government is not ready to take them back. it is hard to distinguish between indian bengalis and bangladeshis too..

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by RIFAK: *
This is perhaps the 1000th incident in recent years. Constant influx of Bangladeshis is changing the demography of entire north-east part of India. Though they are dirt poor and not jehadi types (atleast majority of them) they are considerable nuissance to Governments in that region. Unfortunately this problem is also due to Marxist Government of West Bengal who used these people as vote bank.

Funny thing is even their own Government is not ready to take them back. it is hard to distinguish between indian bengalis and bangladeshis too..
[/QUOTE]

you are right they are being used as instant votes to win elections
also used to balance the local indegenous tribals in northeast.

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Greater Bangladesh? :)

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Malik73: *
Greater Bangladesh? :)
[/QUOTE]

and greater pakistan too.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by rvikz: *

and greater pakistan too.
[/QUOTE]

If you say so...:)

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I feel most Pakis giving their opinions here have shut themselves totally from facts and instead are indulging in the usual India bashing.

The fact is that India has so far treated with Bangladesh with kid gloves. There are presently 20 million illegal Bangladeshi migrants in India. There are colonies in Delhi/Bombay/Calcutta where only illegal Bangladeshi migrants reside. And guess what the Bangladeshi Govt. says - "There is not a single illegal Bangladeshi migrant in India". How can you even start negotiation when the other party makes sweeping untrue statements. Learning fast from the Paki Govt on the west , the Bangla Govt. is now playing the Muslim card and blaming the BJP Govt. (the supposedly "Hindu" Govt. of India ) of forcing Bengali Muslims into Bangladesh.
The fact is that this deportation drive was long overdue and I credit the BJP Govt. for having initiated it. The porous Bangla border is an ISI dream and threat to India's internal security.

I know it is easy for Pakis here to put the blame squarely on India for bad relations with neighbors, but it is difficult for India to share borders on east and west with countries which are far more chaotic even by India's standards, have no semblance of Governance and who do not miss a chance to use "religion" to undermine India's interests.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by RIFAK: *
Unfortunately this problem is also due to Marxist Government of West Bengal who used these people as vote bank.

[/QUOTE]

Very true.... and that is how they got their ration cards.

But in Bangladesh where 100s die in boats capsizing/floods every week, I guess the Govt. is not unduly concerned about the welfare of its 20 million citizens illegally in India.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *

I know it is easy for Pakis here to put the blame squarely on India for bad relations with neighbors, but it is difficult for India to share borders on east and west with countries which are far more chaotic even by India's standards, have no semblance of Governance and who do not miss a chance to use "religion" to undermine India's interests.
[/QUOTE]

Which government was it that used religion to engineer the genocide of thousands of Muslims in Gujrat?

The Bangladeshi's are doing a fine job in North East India, and have greatly contributed to the economis and demographic growth of those states. :)

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Malik73: *

Which government was it that used religion to engineer the genocide of thousands of Muslims in Gujrat?

The Bangladeshi's are doing a fine job in North East India, and have greatly contributed to the economis and demographic growth of those states. :)
[/QUOTE]

The sad part is the same govt. is back in power with the blood of 2000 muslims on their hands.... what they say... only in India....