PRISM for deporting Bangladeshis

Newmai News Network
AIZAWL, Jul 2 : People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) on Tuesday launched a crusade against what it called "Bangladeshi illegal immigrants" to ensure they are deported from Mizoram immediately.
Simultaneously, the party also launched a campaign against the Bru voters so that they are denied voting rights in Mizoram as long as they live in Tripura. “All the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh should be sent back to their country as soon as possible before the Centre re-introduces the Citizenship Bill,” the PRISM said.
PRISM is a today political party, which earlier functioned as an anti-corruption watchdog.
The party made written appeals to all political parties in the State to join the crusade against the "Bangladeshi immigrants" and the Bru voters in Tripura, who are unwilling to return to Mizoram.
Letters were sent to the presidents of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Congress, BJP, Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC).
PRISM in its letters alleged that the Centre is trying to re-introduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was strongly opposed by the Mizo people, political parties and civil societies.
"Even if all the people of Mizoram oppose the Bill, it is uncertain that the Government will not re-introduce the Bill", the party said. The party also said that it would file a Public Litigation Interest (PIL) against the Bru people's voting rights in Mizoram. It alleged that several Bru people lodging at six relief camps in Tripura are allowed to exercise their franchise in Mizoram because of the "unlawful act" of the Election Commission.
PRISM president, Vanlalruata said the poll panel declared the Bru people as ordinary residents of Mizoram on September 6, 2014. He also said that the Election Commission was not a competent authority to make such declaration as it is within the purview of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The party said that the Bru people, who are unwilling to return to Mizoram should not be allowed to exercise their franchise in the State.
It can be noted here that the NGO Co-ordination Committee, a conglomerate of major civil societies and student bodies, has also been demanding deletion of Bru voters, who are unwilling to return to Mizoram, from the State electoral roll.
PRISM had also written to State Home Minister, Lalchamliana, asking him to deport "Bangladeshi foreigners" before the Centre re-introduces Citizenship Bill.
The Mizoram Government will conduct the final phase of Bru repatriation in September.
The repatriation will be completed by October after which the Centre will close down all Bru camps in Tripura and stop giving ration to the refugees, official said.
Officials of the State Home Department and district administrations of Mamit, Lunglei and Kolasib have left for Tripura on Tuesday to conduct identification of the Bru people, which is scheduled to be completed by July 20.
More than 32,000 Bru people are lodging at six relief camps in North Tripura district since they fled Mizoram following ethnic violence triggered by the murder of a Mizo forest guard in 1997.