Biharis in Northeast India

After reading the news below, it is shocking to know there might be millions of Biharis in Northeast India. That too on Northeast states which have necessary laws in place to protect Indigenous tribes. The law being the ‘Inner Line Permit.’

Are the Biharis part of a work force or are they simply taking up jobs of the natives is a big question…

As the Bihar election starts…we know a lot more have migrated to Northeast India.

What will the citizens in Northeast do? Will they follow the Shiv Sena way in Maharashtra or the Manipur militants way of shooting dead labourers…is a thought to ponder about.

Below is the news:

Five lakh Biharis in Northeast India may miss poll

Guwahati: The first phase of assembly elections in Bihar is beginning on Thursday but thousands of Bihari people staying in faraway Northeast are likely to miss the poll due to lack of sufficient number of trains from the region to their home state.

Thousands of people from North Bihar’s Darbhanga, Sitamari, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Mithilanahcal and others who are out in Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of the region are struggling to get tickets as there is only one train under Northeast Frontier Railways connecting their area.

Manoj Kumar Singh, a resident of East Champaran district, who works as a contractor at Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh is worried as he did not get ticket even as he was trying for the last 20-days. ‘Avadh Assam Express is the only train that connects our home district but my ticket was cancelled and now I am worried that I will miss the election on Thursday, said Singh.

The first phase of elections will be held in eight districts of the state- Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnea, Katihar, Madhepura and Saharasa, mostly in North Bihar.

There are about a dozen trains from Northeast connecting Patna but only a few trains connects North Bihar districts close to Indo-Nepal border and thousands of people from Northeast who are rushing to their home state are struggling to reach on the poll day.

According to organizations representing Hindi speaking people here, there are more than 10 lakh Bihari people residing in Northeast and about half of them are from North Bihar.

‘Avadh Assam Express is the only train connecting North Bihar but there are thousands of people in Assam’s Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and other parts of Northeast who are struggling to reach home for election. The Avadh Assam Express is always crowded as many people from Nepal also prefer to board the train. As there is no proper communication facilities many voters will have no other option but to give up their plan to visit home and cast votes this election, said Binoy Kumar Jha, secretary of Mithilanchal Sanskritik Samonnoy Samity here.

Many people are boarding bus to Siliguri in West Bengal and from there to their respective areas to take part in election. Politicians from Bihar are appealing people who are staying out in Delhi, Mumbai and UP to take part in election but no such appeal has been made for thousands of Bihari voters staying in Northeast, said N K Jha.

NFR chief Public Relations Officer S Hajong said no special trains has been introduced for passengers traveling for Bihar elections. We introduced few special trains for Durga Puja and people can board them. Apart from Avadh Assam Express, one Rajdhani Express touches Muzafarpur,Hajon said.

The assembly polls in Bihar will be held in six phases on October 21, 24, 28 and November 1, 9 and 20 for the 243 seats.