15-16 lakh illegal Bangladeshis staying in India: Pranab

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today admitted in the Lok Sabha that about 15 to 16 lakh illegal migrants from Bangladesh were staying in India but failed to state their exact number and measures being taken to deport them.

Claiming that the previous NDA government had given out the number of illegal Bangladeshis at around one to two crore, Mohan Rawle of Shiv Sena asked what steps were being taken to curb their anti-India activities from Indian soil.

In a written reply to the House, the Minister said the issue was taken up at the highest level with the previous Khalida Zia government in Bangladesh which had assured to look into the matter.

Mr Mukherjee asserted that the Bangladesh government had at least recognised the existence of the problem. ''We too have taken physical measures like fencing the border and building road along it to check illegal migration from Bangladesh.'' Replying to the main question by Manusukhbhai Vasava and Harsinh Chavda, Mr Mukherjee, however, said no illegal migration was taking place from Nepal. He further said Maoist groups in Nepal had been quarantined and surrendering arms under the supervision of the United Nations and had declared their support to the Nepalese Ministry.

In respect of anti-India activities by certain insurgent groups in Bangladesh, the Minister, replied that the government took up the problem with the Bangladesh government and had received assurances to curb it from the highest quarters.

When Mr Mukherjee tried to take a soft line on migration from Bangladesh, stating it was legally permissible till March 24, 1971, the Shiv Sena member countered by asking the number of migrants after that cut-off and number of the illegals deported since. To this, the Minister said, nobody had any accurate estimate.

''However, we are taking physical measures'' to check infiltration, he said.

UNI