New Delhi: “Politics of influx is used by some political parties here. There has been so much criticism of Bangladesh in Northeast India because of alleged illegal immigration from our side, but let me tell you that a person of my country would rather swim in the ocean and reach Italy instead of coming to India. A citizen of Bangladesh would like to go to a place where he can earn more but as you know the per capita income in India is not that high,” said Syed Muazzem Ali addressing a farewell press conference at the Press Club of India.
He was responding to questions on the debate in India on illegal migrants from Bangladesh during an interaction with reporters at the Press Club of India.
His statement comes when Amit Shah has said that NRC will be rolled in the entire country. Home Minister Amit Shah, who has referred to illegal immigrants as “termites” more than once, said in Parliament Wednesday that there will be an NRC for the entire country.
Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) is an exercise in this direction, and seeks to expel immigrants who came to India after 1971. Home Minister Amit Shah has referred to illegal immigrants as “termites” more than once.
Mr Muazzem Ali also said that Bangladesh has not commented on internal developments of India like the recent Supreme Court verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmasthaan and ending of the special status of Kashmir and cautioned against rise of radicalism and extremism in the society. “We have been restrained about commenting on internal developments in India. So far secular and progressive parties have prevailed in Bangladesh and we hope it will remain that way in the future. But you have to help too,” said the High Commissioner when asked about the large protests that took place in Dhaka after India’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of building a temple in the disputed site in Ayodhya.