Infiltrators taking over West Bengal border districts: BJP

CALCUTTA, DEC 29: ``The border districts of West Bengal are slipping into the hands of Bangladeshi infiltrator-pushers, smugglers and cri...

CALCUTTA, DEC 29: “The border districts of West Bengal are slipping into the hands of Bangladeshi infiltrator-pushers, smugglers and criminals of various hues,” the State BJP president Tapan Sikdar has claimed.

Sikdar, who conducted a four-day district-level party meeting last week, claimed that “the people living in the Indian enclaves within the Bangladesh territory are being displaced by the Bangladeshis.”

While briefing the press here on Monday, he disclosed, “In the process the Bangladeshis are converting these enclaves into centres from where the people with the political links in West Bengal pushing in infiltrators into the State.”

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Sikdar claimed that “Union Home Minister L K Advani would be given a detailed report on the border district situations in the State soon.” He said the state BJP would soon launch a movement to stir up both the State and the Union governments to take up the issue of State’s border districts.”

He revealed even the Central security agencies, like the BorderSecurity Force (BSF), “have expressed their apprehension on the law and order situations of these districts.”

He said, “We have learnt from the our sources that due to West Bengal Government’s indifference on these sensitive issues, the Central agencies guarding the India-Bangladesh border are feeling frustrated.”

He said to check smuggling, infiltrations and cross border criminals, “the BSF has already suggested to extend the area falling under its jurisdiction from 5 km to 10 km along the India-Bangladesh border.”