Now proud Indians, ex-enclave dwellers thrilled to get inked
Times of India | 20 April 2024
DINHATA: For seven decades, they lived in a state of limbo with their identities and rights unrecognized. But everything changed with an EPIC card in 2015, when residents of the no-man's land in Dinhata were offered citizenship following a historic India-Bangladesh land-swapping agreement. On Friday, the excitement was palpable as they lined up outside polling booths to cast their votes, a constitutional right they had to wait for years to exercise.
"Life has changed for good in the last nine years.Earlier, there was no electricity in our village. We were often detained by cops if we ventured out of our village. But now, there is electricity in our village and we go for work all over the country," said Bapi Burman, a second-year college student from Dakshin Mashaldanga village.
"Earlier, my parents used to feel left out on election days. They didn't have the right to vote. But on Friday, all of us were super excited. This was my third vote," he added.
Dilip Burman, a farmer, added: "We had homes but no identity. But now we live with dignity. This election, we hope to get a school, a hospital and more job opportunities."
Equally excited was Al Amin Islam (18), a first-time voter, whose family was granted a 1,200 square feet home at the Chhitmahal Rehabilitation Centre in Dinhata. "Now I have a country that I can call my motherland. On Friday, I voted for the first time," said Amin, a first-year college student.
As speculations over CAA dominate the political discourse, those living here said they did not fear CAA or the NRC. "We have come through a bilateral agreement between India and Bangladesh. But what bothers us is that we are yet to get ownership of the flats and the money we were promised in exchange for the land we had left nine years back," said Md Saraul, who runs a small garment business.
The transfer of enclaves was implemented on July 31, 2015. As a result, 111 Indian enclaves in four Bangladeshi districts were merged into Bangladesh, while 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in Cooch Behar were integrated into India. The 111 enclaves were home to approximately 34,000 individuals. When presented with the choice to relocate to India, 922 people registered their names and made the move. Currently, these individuals reside in three settlements within Cooch Behar, specifically in Dinhata, Haldibari, and Mekhliganj.