New Delhi, April 15 The West Bengal Governor earlier this week said that the twin spectre of radicalisation and militancy poses a serious challenge for the state, particularly in border districts such as Murshidabad and Malda, which share a boundary with Bangladesh.
The remarks come at a time when efforts are reportedly underway to drive radicalisation programmes aimed at fuelling communal tensions and carrying out terror strikes.
Intelligence agencies have, on numerous occasions over the past several years, flagged concerns in these areas. Officials say illegal immigration into these regions has been significant, leading to noticeable demographic changes in several pockets. There have also been allegations of land being taken over in certain areas.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that illegal immigrants in these regions not only have numerical strength but also financial resources, with money allegedly generated through cattle smuggling, narcotics trade and counterfeit currency operations.
The official added that a renewed push is being made to expand criminal networks. Apart from demographic changes and communal tensions, there are also concerns about efforts to build and sustain terror modules.
Agencies have also flagged an increase in the number of illegal madrasas in these areas, which, according to officials, are being used as safe houses. In the run-up to the elections, elements allegedly backed by Pakistan’s ISI have made repeated attempts to step up illegal immigration, officials said.
The ISI is also suspected to have roped in groups such as the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) to further these operations. The Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) has also been active in these regions, an official said. According to officials, the pattern suggests an attempt to keep security agencies engaged while preparing for potential strikes.
In the border areas of West Bengal, the alleged plan is not limited to a single operation but involves multiple activities, including smuggling, illegal immigration, counterfeiting, demographic shifts and the setting up of terror modules linked to ABT.
Beyond West Bengal, there are concerns that such elements may attempt to infiltrate Northeastern states such as Assam to carry out operations. Apart from targeting internal security and stability, the alleged objective is also to strain India’s ties with Bangladesh.
Relations, which had briefly come under strain, are said to have stabilised following the recent elections in Bangladesh that brought the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to power. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has emphasised maintaining positive ties with India.
According to officials, the ISI aims to destabilise this equation by using networks in Murshidabad and Malda to foment trouble in India. The agency is also believed to be attempting to activate terror networks in Jammu and Kashmir, support modules in Delhi and other cities, and back Khalistan-linked groups in Punjab.
Officials said similar strategies are being explored in West Bengal and the Northeastern states. They cautioned that heightened activity in Murshidabad and Malda should not be viewed solely in the context of West Bengal.
The broader concern, they said, is the potential use of these modules to carry out operations in the Northeast, with the aim of disturbing peace in border states -- a development that could have wider implications for national security.
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