The Assam Rifles on Thursday clarified that the 42,000 Myanmar nationals who have been mapped since December were the ones who entered India after the new free movement regime (FMR) between the two countries came into effect.
A statement to this effect was shared by the Army PRO to clarify the “misrepresentation” of the observation made by Assam Rifles director-general (DG), Lt. General Vikas Lakhera, something which was being misconstrued as Myanmar nationals entering India and staying here illegally.
The statement said the DG’s observation, which was made during a seminar at Manipur University on Wednesday, was being “misrepresented”.
“For clarity, the DG had stated ‘after the new FMR policy came into effect, the Myanmarese nationals entering India through crossing points are now being mapped. Since December, 42,000 individuals have been mapped with the help of biometrics and various measures instituted by all concerned government agencies.’ The data of this is being shared with all government agencies,” the statement said.
It further said: “These Myanmarese citizens stay temporarily in the northeastern states of India, mainly in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh and eventually revert to their country as per the provisions of the new FMR policy”.
The FMR allowed people living on either side of the India-Myanmar border to travel up to 16km without visas or documents. Since December 2024, the Centre has limited the distance to 10km and designated crossing points in four states.
The DG’s observation was hailed by former Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh on his X handle on Wednesday with the caption “Around 42,000 outsiders entered Manipur since December 2024: Assam Rifles DG Lieutenant General Vikas Lakhera”.
Singh’s X post said: “I thank Lt. Gen Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, DG Assam Rifles, for confirming that biometrics are being collected from illegal entrants crossing the Indo-Myanmar border. The very need for such a measure underlines an undeniable truth that the influx of outsiders into our region is real and ongoing.”
However, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) expressed deep concern over the “deliberate misinterpretation” of the DG’s statement regarding the influx of individuals from Myanmar into India.
“The DGAR had clearly stated that around 42,000 persons have crossed over into India from Myanmar due to the ongoing political and ethnic turmoil in that country... The fact of the matter is that these 42,000 persons are not ‘illegal immigrants’ as alleged by Biren Singh. They are victims of war and persecution in Myanmar, who have crossed the international border seeking refuge and safety,” the KZC said on Thursday.