Largest ever regularisation of illegal immigrants anywhere in the world?
Last month, Hon Sh Chidambaram speaking about the national census called it the “biggest exercise since humankind came into existence“.
As many of you may know already, the enumerators working on the census are aided in their task by a “Census Manual”. Below are instructions related to Item no. 11 related to “Nationality” (Pg 25) of the Instruction Manual for filling up of the NPR Household Schedule in the Census:
Nationality for each of the enumerated person has to be asked from the respondent and recorded.
Please record the nationality of the respondent as declared by her/him for each of the persons enumerated.
Do not get into any argument with the respondent regarding this
Pl. read the above once again to understand the full import of the statement.
As Sh S Gurumurthy pointed out in his article (emphasis added):
The citizenship rules direct that ‘during the verification process, particulars of such individuals whose citizenship is doubtful shall be entered with appropriate remark in the Population Register.’
Unless the enumerators are first asked to notice cases of doubtful citizenship, how will such cases come up for verification at all?
But, instead of asking them to notice and record the cases of doubtful citizenship during enumeration, see how the census manual directs the enumerators to fill the space against Query No 11: Nationality for each of the enumerated person has to be asked from the respondent and recorded. …… Please record the nationality of the respondent as declared by her/him for each of the persons enumerated. Do not get into any argument with the respondent regarding this (Para 5.21.1 of general instructions).
That is, when the citizenship rules ask for doubtful cases of citizenship to be identified, the census manual to collect details under the very citizenship rules virtually says ‘don’t doubt the respondents on their claim of nationality; just record what they say.’
How then will suspect cases of citizenship be discovered?
And so – post this census – lakhs of illegal inflitrators will morph into Indian “nationals” whose citizenship will probably never be questioned.
If you feel I am being over-dramatic, here is a first-hand account by Sh Krishen Kak who was recently visited by the census enumerator:
Friends, the census enumerator made her call. Seems a rather perfunctory questionnaire BUT IT IS FROM THIS THAT THE UID WILL BE MADE. They are not expected/required to check any documents, and she herself fears that large numbers of Bangladeshis in the area will get UIDs very very easily…There is to be no cross-checking.
So, get ready to welcome as fellow-citizens the lakhs of illegal aliens in our country.
The census exercise in India might indeed be the largest ever in humna history but Sh Chidambaram forgot to mention it may also be the “largest ever regularisation of illegal immigrants anywhere in the world”.
Too bad it is being done by stealth.
P.S. In the best bureaucratic tradition of cover-your-back, there is a Note* (in bold too) at the end of the instuction that reads:
It may be noted that nationality declared by respondent does not confer any right to citizenship.
As my teenage daughter would say, “Yeah, right!”
Also read: On Foreigners, NRIs and MPs
So, we have already done this….no? In 1971.
Athidhi Devo Bhava….we are living by this very principle. So, welcome all athidhis, we don’t question anything, take whatever you think is yours. We can do nothing, we are the NRIs with no voting rights and no say in any thing whatsoever.
In 2008 more than 65,000 foreigners were found overstaying in India and only 13,995 were deported, according to home ministry figures. 2009 figures are not yet available. http://bit.ly/bY1Eeo
So around 51,000 for. nationals stayed back illegally in India in one year. And these were only those who had entered legally! Who know how many times more cross the border illegally?
Atithi Devo Bhava indeed…
As rightly said by Karl Marx:-“History repeats itself,first as tragedy and then as farce”.This a msg to our self glorified think tanks :-Stop making mockery of our systems.
Shantanu- I have no words for this outrage. There was a discussion on how UID would become a central feature our administration. This is shocking-
I think there are various sides to the story.
First, inclusion of someone in the census is not “regularization”. The census is nothing but an enumeration. It doesn’t confer any rights or privileges in itself.
Second, this doesn’t mean there are no bad effects of wrong census figures. Incorrect census figures can and probably will be used later by illegals (or their political backers) to bolster claims of citizenship.
Third, how to fix it is a very hard problem. The census is meant to be a total enumeration. There aren’t enough enumerators to go investigating every suspicious case. In other words, it is practically impossible to do investigations. It would delay things indefinitely. Letting the enumerators use their judgment is not a solution because they are easily swayed.
I think the only real options available to us are a complete identification card system like the one Narayana Murthy is trying to create. This may still not stop illegal immigration or illegal regularization, but hopefully will slow it down.
Illegal Immigrants in India has become very vital issue.Our Govt must keep vigilant checking all round the Indian border sides and some people from pakistan, bangladesh cross our border illegally.This people from pakistan,bangladesh come to our country and later they become terrorism or Illegal immigrant some join in Madrass,terrorism activities and to be very frank if this people want to make money I sugess them to go to UK,USA,CANADA etc., why do this people from pakistan,bangladesh interested in our country my answer is to spread terrorism.Our Government must ask them where would you stay before entering into our country have you got any relative in our country if yes how long you them?how are you related to them?and our Govt must take details of all Immigrants relative and ask queries to their realtives in India.very important issue people of pakistan, bangladesh must give continuous daily report about your stay in India i mean if people from outside staying in hotel or anywhere must report themselves to nearest police station and passport photo copy of every individual Immigrant must be submitted to nearest police station and our Embassy this has to be made compulsory.If someone found staying more than one day soon after his/her visa expire our Embassy must declare themselve as terrorism and publish their photo in newspaper and our Embassy must start pressuring to Illegal immigrant Embassy no mercy this time or else Immigrant must explain for staying more than one day and they must get permission of staying.
Immigrants only from Pakistan,bangaldesh and other gulf countries must report thrice a week and explain about their visits while in India to the nearest police station this matter has to make compulsory because it’s only gulf country who spreads mostly terrorism.
From India Today:
The Unique Identification Number (UID) scheme…could prove to be a gateway for illegal migrants to settle in India, a Census expert has warned… This is because the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) headed by Nandan Nilekani is using data collected by Census authorities to prepare the National Population Register (NPR) to create the UIDs.
The NPR is not an exclusive database of Indian citizens. It contains data on all residents of the country, including foreigners.
…issuing UIDs based on the data in the NPR will help illegal migrants get these IDs and will allow them access to government services and programmes.
According to Sh S. P. Sharma, the former deputy registrar general (Census and tabulations): They would be entitled to obtain Indian passport, register their names in the electoral rolls, obtain identity card issued by the Election Commission of India, get ration cards and open bank accounts. All this will make them eligible to contest elections at all levels, and even enter the police and armed forces
Chidu is a TRAITOR
2 recent news-items:
1] From Cops to verify 2 lakh migrants before polls by Darpan Singh, Hindustan Times, Noida, January 16, 2012:
About 4 lakh Bangladeshi immigrants live in Uttar Pradesh. Most of them said to have got electoral photo identity cards issued from the election commission
and
Bangladeshi workers nabbed with fake voter cards
The regional immigration office in Phuentsholing has taken an Indian labour contractor to court for attempting to bring into Bhutan four Bangladeshi nationals labourers with fake Indian voter cards.
…
The four Bangaldeshis…disclosed that they paid Indian INR 500 for the fake voter cards to obtain work permits to work for a private company in Kanglung, Trashigang.
…
The regional director Sangay Tenzing said this is not the first time they caught immigrant workers with fake Indian voter cards but this is the first case that has gone to court. “Its time we take serious action else such cases will increase every year,†he said.
…
Immigration officer Sonam Jamtsho said they have seized more than a 1,000 fake Indian voter cards and about 20 fake voters cards are detected everyday. “We’ve deported and blacklisted them,†Sonam Jamtsho said.
Read: Now Aadhaar number to be accepted for passport applications, 9 Jan 2013:
…NEW DELHI: In a move that will make passport documentation less cumbersome, Aadhaar number will now be accepted as proof of address and identity. “The Ministry of External Affairs has decided and accordingly advised all Passport Issuing Authorities to accept Aadhaar letter as proof of address and photo identity in conjunction with any other prescribed documents for proof of address/identity for the purpose of passport application,” an official statement has said..
Worry.
Placing this here for the record: Aadhaar Cards With Immigrants Sparks Worry, By Merlin Francis – BANGALORE Published: 14th March 2014:
…
Investigation into the arrest of nine Bangladeshi nationals by Cubbon Park police has revealed that one of them, who had been living in Bangalore for the last one year, had even managed to get an Aadhaar card.
..
According to the police, Mohammad Masoom (28), son of Mohammad Anwar, was the first to come to Bangalore. He later brought eight others to the city, along with their families, the investigation revealed.
“During the investigation, he showed us his Aadhaar card. He said that he had applied for the card showing his rental documents as address proof. Another immigrant too said he has an Aadhaar card, although he did not furnish it,†police said.
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The group had entered the country through Assam and Malda in West Bengal. From Malda, they took a train to Kolkata and from there to Bangalore, the official said.
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However, considering that Masoom was able to get an Aadhaar card using his rent agreement as address proof, concerns have been raised with regard to the possibility that if he tried, he could have got an EPIC card too and registered as a voter.
Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha noted that an Aadhaar card can be used as age or address proof. “We usually depend on educational certificates as age proof, but Aadhaar cards can also be produced as age proof and rental documents as address proof,†he said.
While someone could get away with this, he added that stringent verification, especially with regard to physical address verification, is necessary to ensure that miscreants did not get into the system. “We also call for public notices to check authenticity of applicants before electoral registration,†he said.