Retired army officer Mohd Azmal Haque said he felt insulted by doubts about his Indian citizenship
Highlights
- Police register case against soldier, accused of being illegal migrant
- My soul is broken, says Mohd Azmal Haque, who retired as JCO last year
- Infiltration from Bangladesh is a sensitive issue in Assam
After serving the Army for 30 years, a retired soldier has been accused of being an illegal migrant from Bangladesh and a case has been registered against him by the Assam police. The foreigners' tribunal will hear the matter on October 13.
Mohd Azmal Haque - who lives in Chayyagaon, 70 km from state capital Guwahati -- retired as a Junior Commissioned Officer last year. "I am very sad, I cried a lot. My soul is broken... After 30 years of service I have to face such insult," Mr Haque told NDTV. "If I were an illegal Bangladeshi, how could I serve the Indian army?"
Mr Haque, who was appointed as a Junior Commissioned Officer in 2003, says he has pension, school and other documents that show even his mother was listed as an Indian in 1951. Mandatory police verification was conducted when he had joined the army, he added.
Infiltration from Bangladesh is a sensitive issue in Assam. The state, which had six Muslim-majority districts in 2001, had nine within a decade. Last year, the BJP came to power in the state with a key promise of ending illegal immigration by sealing the 262-km-long porous border. But locals allege there have been several cases in which Indian nationals have been harassed.
Aman Wadud, Mr Haque's lawyer said, "Most the people targeted by investigating agencies are beggars, daily wage earners, rickshahwaalahs."
Mr Haque said in 2012, his wife Mumtaz Begum also faced similar allegations. At the time, the couple had to present documents to prove their citizenship. "We produced all documents at the tribunal court that time... they declared her a proper Indian citizen," he said.
This incident has triggered sharp reaction in social media.
"I tear in Assam police. Very very shameful act , how they are insulting a patriot soldier and a retd junior commissioned officer of the Indian Army. Anybody can imagine how the common people of the state suffering!!!!" read another tweet.
After widespread outrage, Assam police chief Mukesh Sahay said he has ordered an internal inquiry. "I have already asked the SP to look into the matter... if there's a slip-up there will be action," he added.