Paritosh Chakma
ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2010, Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana informed the State Assembly that over 35,000 people from 45 villages are required to be relocated inside the fence due to the India-Bangladesh border fencing in Mizoram.
He said this while replying to a question from opposition Mara Democratic Front (MDF) MLA, P P Thawlla. Participating in the discussion, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said that the state government had approached the Centre many times but each time received the same reply: “We have not done any relocation in other states.”
This is the first time that the issue of rehabilitation for the border fencing victims was discussed in the Mizoram Assembly. There has been a series of protests by the victims over the issues of compensation and rehabilitation but there has been no word from the Centre regarding rehabilitation inside the fence.
Earlier in a RTI reply dated 16th December 2009 the Ministry of Home Affairs (Border Management) has stated that “Neither this Ministry has prepared any plan for rehabilitation nor any proposal has been received in this Ministry from Govt. of Mizoram”.
The move to shift the people came when the Indian government has decided to fence India's 4,095 km border with Bangladesh running through West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram so as to curb infiltration, smuggling, trans-border movement of militants and other anti-national activities.