Tension prevailed along the Assam-Manipur state border, after the Manipur state police expelled more than 100 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The illegal aliens were detained in the town of Jiribam, where they were working as daily wage labourers, and were pushed back to the district of Cachar in Assam. Local political analyst opined that the migrants are likely to stay in Assam, as the state government has tolerated their right for residence, up to a certain limit. However, the situation remains tense along the other north-eastern states, many of whom are likely to follow the lead taken by Manipur.

Jiribam, which lies along the proposed Silchar-Imphal railway route, is one of the most strategically important locations inside Manipur. According to the last census, close to one-third of the population living in the city were Muslims, leading to arguments from several Manipuri ethnic organizations that Bangladeshi immigrants are arriving in Manipur via the state of Assam.

Although the Bodo-Bangladeshi clashes have subsided in Assam, hundreds of thousands of refugees are still living in make-shift shelters, and are unlikely to return to their homes anytime soon. Some of the leaders of the Assamese rebel group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has also came out in the open against the Bangladeshis. During a public meeting organized in the city of Tinsukia, ULFA leader Jiten Dutta asked the local authorities to expel the Bangladeshi immigrants from the district.

ULFA has kept the identification and deportation of the illegal aliens living in Assam, as one of their main demands before the resumption of peace talks with the Indian government. Apart from ULFA, a number of ethnic and political organizations, such as the Northeast Students’ Organization (NESO), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Naga Council, Bengali Chattra Parishad, Tai Ahom Students’ Union, and the Marwari Yuva Manch have also demanded government action against the illegal migrants.

In addition to Manipur, several other states in the region, such as Meghalaya and Nagaland are also considering initiatives against illegal immigrants. Since both the states are tribal dominated, much of their territory is covered under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) rule, which prohibits the settlement of non-tribals. However the Meghalayan government had decided not to implement the rule recently, helping tens of thousands of Bangladeshis to settle down in border areas.