What lies in store for Bengali migrants in Pilibhit?

Pilibhit is home to nearly 1.25 lakh people with origins in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan. They moved to India between 1958 and 1974, hounded out in the decade after Partition and again during the creation of Bangladesh.
When the Bengalis moved here in 1974 in hope of rehabilitation the same way refugees post-Independence were settled by then PM Jawaharlal Nehru, they were in for a shock.
Little did Gokul Mandal, 90 years old today, know back then that rehabilitation was for those who arrived via ‘immigration camps’. Overnight, Mandal and his group became illegal immigrants. Abandoned, Mandal ended up as bonded labour for at least 15 years, he says. He lives in Neuria Colony with his son and grandson Tapan. His son too worked on farms owned by Sikhs, but Tapan went to school.
Tapan said, “I completed school. It changed my life. I run a small business and bought a bike and helped my family build a pucca house.” Tapan has a month-old daughter. But she is not an Indian citizen because Indian citizenship is based on citizenship of parents and not so much on place of birth. For those born after December 3, 2004, a person by birth is an Indian citizen only if at least one parent is an Indian citizen, and no parent is an illegal immigrant.
Officially there are round 37,000 Bengali migrants across 23 villages in Pilibhit
Jeevan Haldar, 24, a school teacher, is among a handful of literate youths in Mala Colony. His grandfather, Nirodh Mandal, was in the first batch refugees who arrived in Pilibhit through Ranaghat camp and were allotted 5 acres farm land. “Though most of us are born in India, we’re yet to get even permanent resident certificates,” Jeevan said.
The fact that these men and women have voter ids, mostly procured illegally around 30 years ago, does not change their status.
Pilibhit has around 37,000 Bengali migrants across 23 villages. Sources estimate there are about a lakh, concentrated in three areas — Mala Colony, Chandia Hazara and Neuria Colony.
THE UNOFFICIAL FORM
Tapan and his family, and residents of Neuria Colony are waiting to fill citizenship forms that the Union government is yet to issue. But that has not stopped an “unofficial” form from doing the rounds distributed by district administration through the village accountant (lekhpal).
In December first week, state BJP sources said, party seniors instructed that information be collected on Bengali migrants in Pilibhit. Even before President Kovind signed off the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 12 a day after its passage in Parliament.
The unofficial form is not issued by any government department nor bears any state signatures or stamps. But they have been distributed by local government.
In the form, migrants were asked to describe if they were persecuted in their countries of origin, their date of arrival in India, details of any identity papers. Date of arrival is important because the cut-off date to apply for citizenship is December 31, 2014.
Village officer Dev Pal told TOI, “We were asked to share forms with the Bengalis in Pilibhit villages and instructed villagers to share their details.”
District magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava called the unofficial form “a proactive survey” and confirmed the Union home ministry was yet to issue the relevant form. “We did a proactive survey to gather information so that we are ready. We have not sought ID proofs or documents from Bengali migrants. But we have data for nearly 37,000 residents across 23 villages in Pilibhit.” The SDM asked people and the lekhpal to gather at ration shops where they were briefed about the form.
LAND DILEMMAS
Tapan lives in hope that with citizenship, life will be better for his grandfather and the older illegal immigrants. At 89, Mrittika Mandal is the oldest surviving illegal Bengali immigrant in Neuria Colony. Keeping her company is Divadasi Mistry (85).
The first batches of Bengali immigrants came in between 1958 and 1961 from East Pakistan. The communities were rehabilitated in very many places and allotted some land. Those who moved to India with families during Bangladesh’s struggle for Independence in 1971 through immigration camps were allotted 5 acres in Pilibhit.
The struggles were such that Gokul still recalls, “Even when we went fishing, only to entertain ourselves as we did back in Bangladesh, we had to share our catch with the farm-owners.”
The first batches of Bengali immigrants came in between 1958 and 1961 from East Pakistan
Dilemmas continue even for ‘official’ refugees. Jeevan said, “Allotment of our land was for 90 years. But we were recently told the allotment expired in 1990. As my grandfather is no more, his legal heir certificate couldn’t also be issued as he was not an Indian resident. So, we’re unable to renew the land allotment.” His hold over the land hangs in balance.
Kishore Mistri, 50, is brimming with hope. “We’ve been promised SC/ST benefits. Farms will be transferred in our names. We have filled the form the district administration provided and have surrendered our land allotment papers.” He is oblivious to the fact that the form is not an official one, but their land allotment papers were. And that the DM has said no documents have been collected yet.