‘I don’t want any votes from illegal migrants’

What was the genesis of the recent clashes between Bodos and non-Bodos? What is the situation now?

Such incidents have taken place earlier also. Conflicts are there but by and large it is under control. Out of 4.5 lakh refugees,2 lakh have returned home. It is a good sign. We are giving lots of assurances. But panic is there.

You were reported to have said that Badruddin Ajmal is trying to install one of his Congress friends as CM

Ajmal’s role is not conducive. His role and the BJP’s role are almost the same. Both of them want to divide society.

The BJP has accused the Congress of giving protection to illegal immigrants for vote-bank politics. How do you respond to it?

They are talking politics to divide society. There is no question of appeasement. When L K Advani was the Home Minister,he did not take any action. Even after I took up the matter with him to take steps for increasing border outposts,riverine police,fencing and floodlights,he didn’t do it. I wrote to them (NDA govt) but they did not even discuss it with me. What did they do when they were in power? When Vajpayeeji talked about giving work permits to illegal immigrants,I opposed….We are against illegal immigration. I do not want any vote from illegal immigrants. Now they are talking about a delay in updating citizens’ register. Why didn’t they do it when they were in power? It is we who did it. Their politics will not succeed. It is lip sympathy and not from the heart.

What about the problem of illegal immigration? What,according to you,could be the number of such immigrants in Assam?

I do not have the numbers but illegal migration has been on decline. In 2001 census,population growth in Assam was 3 per cent less than the national average. Even in 2011 census,the (decadal) population growth in Assam fell by 2 per cent. Illegal immigration takes place for land and employment. But we are already populated and there is not much of employment here due to lack of industrialisation. I am not saying that there is no problem. Illegal immigration has not stopped but it is not on a large scale.

During a debate on violence in Assam in the Lok Sabha,some MPs demanded that Bodo Accord be scrapped. Your view?

People have not gone through Bodo Accord. You have to see the interest of Bodo people. The Accord gives rights to non-Bodo people also. For them also,there is provision for land (rights) and other protection. But basic principle is,you have to give autonomy to tribal people also. You have to see the reality. We will give protection to legal migrants but not to the illegal immigrants. Census figures show they are on the decline. I constituted Thana committees but no political party is coming forward to identify them. I am not prepared to give shelter to foreigners.

Is there any proposal to revamp Bodoland Territorial Council to give representation to the minority community? No,there is no such proposal.