A STITCH in time saves nine. This adage has timeless wisdom in it, not only for individuals but also for the nations. With the ongoing tension with Pakistan, thanks to the terror-sponsoring nation’s latest misadventure in Pahalgam in Kashmir, the Central Government has asked the States to track and deport Pakistani nationals. Accordingly, the States also have initiated measures. As a response to the prevailing situation, this move is alright. However, had the above adage been followed on a regular basis, many a problem relating to India’s internal security could have been resolved long ago. The powers that be of the time should have realised the danger that could crop up in future due to their neglect of the problem of illegal migrants and porous borders. Since they did not realise it then, and busied themselves with weaving dreams of a secular country, they left open the space for the crooked neighbour like Pakistan to work on its evil designs.

 

As part of its strategy to ‘bleed India by a thousand cuts’, Pakistan kept encouraging cross-border terrorism as well as utilising porous borders to send illegal migrants to India. Hence, even before Bangladesh came into being, India started facing influx from the erstwhile East Pakistan. The trend continued even after East Pakistan was liberated as Bangladesh. Over the years, the influx disturbed the demographic and socio-cultural balance. It gradually assumed economic and political angle too. In Assam, it led to birth of new insurgency, which cast a period of turmoil on Assam as well as Tripura and Meghalaya too. By then, illegal migrants got themselves firmly rooted in Indian territory. Thanks to compromises by certain quarters in the name of vote-bank politics during the previous Congress-led regimes, these illegal migrants got Indian documents, using which they made further inroads into other Indian States including West Bengal, Bihar, etc.

 

Over a period of some 40-50 years, their next generation arrived on the scene as Indian citizens by birth. Unfortunately, the root of this gradual naturalisation was in political opportunism by some Indian politicians. A vast number of illegal migrants continued treating India as a country of convenience. Hence, despite staying here, they harmonised with Indian society only in the realms of economy and politics. Their rigid informal organisation did not allow them to follow the Indian values of unity in diversity. They isolated themselves in the name of preserving own values. They kept a distance from the ethos and pathos of the Indian culture, tradition, and history. This, precisely, has turned into a visible problem in India. There are many areas where Indian laws are not followed. Brazen violation of laws of the land are justified by playing victim card by many of the illegal migrants. When some Government decides to deport the illegal migrants, some political parties oppose it. 

 

Since the present-day Bharatiya Janata Party led alliance is in power at the Centre, the political opponents like Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Aam Aadmi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) etc are opposing each and every Government move, irrespective of its merits. Hence, when the Centre talks of identifying Pakistani nations and deporting them from the country, not all States comply. Besides, only for the sake of opposition, questions are raised to cloud the public opinion about need for such a step. This does not serve the purpose of national security. Rather, this only amounts to petty political posturing. There is one more dimension to the issue. Over the years, change in government also caused a change in approach to national security. This made the task of law enforcement agencies and homeland security agencies difficult, leading to inconsistent action. Umpteen books are available in which the former Intelligence officers have pointed out how some desks were discontinued during certain governments. Such a bumpy approach created space for the illegal migrants, and the forces that encouraged such illegal migration, to operate smoothly without any worries of facing action. Many of the ‘sleeper cells’ and those engaged in indoctrination are the products of illegal migration.

 

They grew up in families that treated Indian values as alien to their beliefs even if such values had nothing to do with religion. The dastardly attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam also points at some ‘local help’ to terrorists. Though it is in this context that the Centre has asked States to deport Pakistani nationals forthwith, the action must be taken with an emphasis on consistency in approach. Instead of stopping the action only at Pakistani nationals, effort must be made to put in place a mechanism to keep a strict vigil so that no illegal migrant enters India. May it be illegal Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, or Rohingyas, they must be found out and deported. At the same time, those who supported them -- even if they are Indian political leaders -- must be tracked and punished. Because, national security has to be thought of apolitically. There can be no compromise on national security. Whosoever poses a threat to it must face the wrath of the Indian nation. Such an action requires a convergent approach to national security, wherein every department and all agencies including the Intelligence and enforcement ones, are made accountable in a mechanism that works relentlessly to prevent illegal migration. Also, a massive campaign needs to be undertaken to make all Indians partners in the comprehensive national security. Only a secure nation can become stronger and enjoy stability that benefits all citizens. For that to happen, a stitch in time has to be tailored.