Migration from Bangladesh part of proxy war by Pakistan, supported by China: Army Chief

Migration from Bangladesh into India is "plannned", Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Wednesday. The migration, he added, is part of a proxy war by Pakistan and is supported by China, to keep India's Northeast region on the boil.

"Other issue is planned immigration taking place because of our western neighbour. They will always try and ensure that this area is taken over. This proxy dimension of warfare is well played by our western neighbour and supported by our northern neighbour," Rawat said.

Rawat was speaking in Delhi at a conference on securing borders in India's Northeast region.

To back up his argument, Rawat said the AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front) has grown faster in Assam than the BJP over the years. The AIUDF is led by Badruddin Ajmal.

"When we talk of Jan Sangh with two MPs and where they have reached, AIUDF is moving at a faster pace in the state of Assam," said Rawat.

Rawat however did concede that migration from Bangladesh also takes place because of the pressure of population.

"Migration from Bangladesh is due to two reasons. One, they are running out of space. Large areas get flooded during the monsoon and they have constricted area to stay," said Rawat.

Former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon also spoke at the conference.

"One reason why we saw that activity in Doklam last year was not because they (China) had a clear military option or superiority but because they had the political goal of splitting us from the Bhutanese," Menon said.

"China wanted to show the Bhutanese that India could not defend their security and also to arouse Bhutanese opinion. I am glad we chose to react the way we did," he added.