Illegal immigration issue and its socio-political implications in Assam

Illegal immigration has been the most volatile and contentious issue in Assam vis- à-vis North-East India in recent years with its far-reaching consequences. The roots of the present illegal immigration problem in Assam can be traced back to the British colonial rule in Assam. The trend of flow of population which continued even after the independence of India, assumed an alarming proportions after the creation of Bangladesh. Although the presence of infiltrators is not restricted to Assam or other NE states like Tripura, Meghalaya etc and even spread over other Indian states, the situation is more serious and complicated in Assam where due to historical reasons, large scale infitration created an apprehension among the local people of being minoritised and hence, over the years a very critical situation developed in Assam with its adverse impact on the society and politics of Assam. In this backdrop, the paper seeks to discuss the factors responsible for illegal immigration to Assam and also analyse its implications on the society and politics of Assam. For the purpose of study, required data and information would be collected from secondary sources.