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Threats deter census enumerators in Assam, Meghalaya

Nitin Gogoi in Guwahati

Enumerators in Assam and Meghalaya are facing threats to stop work on the 2001 census, currently in progress throughout the country.

A threat to eliminate enumerators issued by the outlawed Hynniewtrop National Liberation Council, an insurgent group operating in Meghalaya, has put a big question mark on the ongoing census operation in the hill state.

In a statement carried by Shillong-based newspapers, the HNLC has warned that the census operation carried out by the 'colonial forces' would be treated as illegal unless the Government of India comes out with a clear-cut policy to solve the longstanding political problems of the state. The statement warned the enumerators that they may face execution if they did not stop their work.

Census officials said it is up to the government to tackle this threat. Top Meghalaya government officials, however, denied reports that enumerators had stopped the work in certain interior areas following the warning. "Although it is impossible to provide security to 5000-odd census workers, there has been no stoppage of work so far anywhere," a top police official said.

In neighbouring Assam there are reports of people chasing enumerators from villages dominated by immigrants. "At least two incidents of people preventing officials from carrying out census-related duties have come in, with the rumour spreading that the enumerators would ask for citizenship certificates and other documents," a government spokesman said.

"Some of the villagers who do not possess citizenship documents fear they would be caught and hence such tactics to scare away officials," he added.

Meanwhile, students' group in Assam have urged census enumerators not to enlist the names of 'doubtful persons', saying that if preventive steps are not taken hundreds of thousands of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in the state could also be listed.

The All Assam Students' Union, which has been at the forefront of a campaign to stop illegal infiltration since 1979, claims that the unabated influx of illegal Bangladeshi migrants poses a risk to indigenous Assamese being overwhelmed by them.

"It could be matter of time before our fears turn into a reality if steps are not taken to check infiltration. We urge enumerators to report any doubtful citizenship to the authorities and not to enlist their names in the list," Amiyo Bhuyan, the general secretary of AASU said.

According to the Registrar General of Census, Assam's population of 22.4 million as per the 1991 census has increased by an estimated four million until October 2000. Statistics reveal that Assam's population grew by 24.2 per cent during the decade 1981-1991 as compared to 23.9 per cent for the country overall. The population density in Assam as per the 1991 census, estimated at 286 persons per square kilometre, was also higher than the national average of 273 persons per square km.

"These estimated projections vindicates our fear and apprehension that Assam would become a Bangladeshi majority state very soon unless urgent steps are taken. The abnormal population growth is indeed a very worrying trend," said Samujjal Bhattacharyya, an AASU advisor.

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