IMPHAL, March 7: The issue of migration in India began since the British rule and illegal immigration problem in the North East was one of the important factors contributing in creating more insurgency problem in the region, said a retired Professor of Manipur University.
\nProf Laldena said this while giving a keynote speech of a two-day \u201cNational Seminar on Immigrant Problems in North-East India: Its Socio-political and Economic Impacts organized by Department of Political Science, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus, Manipur at Hotel Imphal here on Thursday.
\nIn the context of Manipur, a large part of the Barak Valley has been named after Bengali community, he mentioned. Prof Laldena commented that now the situation has demanded a serious debate and a deeper study on the issue of illegal immigrants confronting NE.
\nPointing out that the issue of illegal immigration normally has more negative impact than positive impact, Arun Kumar Sinh, Special Secretary, Home\/FW, Government of Manipur, who also attended the workshop, said it has been estimated that there are about 15 million Bangladeshi immigrants in India.
\nHe also said Muslim population in Assam has been shot up to 40 percent from its earlier record of 16 percent. \u201cThe big problem of immigration in NE has been persisting for a long time with the region being the international border,\u201d Arun said.
\nThe influx of immigrants into NE has been occurring because these foreigners are in search of livelihood, he said.
\n\u201cTherefore, it would not be possible to stop illegal immigrants from coming to the region totally, but it can be minimized by a political will both at the Central and state level,\u201d Arun suggested.<\/p>\n\n