Official indifference root cause of infiltration
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 18, 2022 -

While it is hoped that the announcement made by chief minister N Biren on Sunday that landlords found leasing out rooms to foreigners would be dealt with stringently under the law of the land would be accorded importance by all concerned, it is desired that the government initiate investigation against the Transport Department official who facilitated acquisition of driving license by the Bangladeshi national arrested recently.

Though the driving license found in the possession of Bangladeshi national Anwar Hussain seem to have been issued decades back, there is no reason why the license issuing authority should be spared for the case in hand is not about aiding someone sustain livelihood but gross negligence of duty such as mandatory verification of whoever applies for driving license, which is also one of the documents required for the domiciliation process.

Arrest of the Bangladeshi national not only exposed presence of deceitful elements within the Transport Department, but also indicates possibility of insincere officials and personnel in other government departments handling documentation and issuance of identification papers.

For instance, in March 2018, Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) accused two officials, including an SDC of the office of Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West of issuing residential certificate with fake identity documents to a non-local while there had been frequent reports about JCILPS pulling up non-Manipuris, including hand-cart pullers found in possession of driving license apart from illegal immigrants issued Aadhaar cards processed on the basis of fake identity documents.

Such incidents ring out the chilling message that infiltration of both migrant workers and illegal immigrants pose huge challenge to the society with the problem getting compounded due to some vital departments undermining the general sentiment.

Even as MSF's charge that staffers of the DC's office patronised a non-Manipuri substantiated suspicion of the public over sincerity of administrators in checking influx of outsiders, periodical arrest of Rohingyas left no doubt that Rohingya refugees fleeing from the restive Rakhine state in neighbouring Myanmar have been making consistent bid to sneak into Manipur, possibly under the patronage of certain elements on this side of the international boundary.

As there were numerous instances of Moreh police rounding up people with dubious nationalities in the past too as well as state security forces foiling bid to illegally enter into Manipur in Jiribam sector, time has come for the state authorities to put in place an effective mechanism through which unauthorised influxes could be checked and initiate exemplary punitive steps against those officials who are found abetting the situation.

As such with none other than the chief minister himself elaborating on how Anwar Hussain reached and settled in Manipur, the government may now conveniently take up the investigation process and do the needful to deter the salaried class from indulging in unethical or outrageous conducts.

For the Transport Department, it is suggested that the government issue stern warning that all possible precautionary measures should be applied before issuing driving licence and minutely examine conduct of the officials in order to prevent insincere officials from taking undue advantage of the increasing number of applicants and issue relevant documents on the sly.

As it is an established fact that driving licence is the most preferred identity document for non-locals proper and strict adherence to the prescribed verification process would definitely help prevent illegal infiltration.