Pirotan Island, Bet Dwarka: Illegal Mazars, encroachment pose threat to national security

A nation loses internal peace when its borders are compromised. Cross-border smuggling, drug trade and other such illegal activities not only infringe the sanctity of borders but also contribute in making the internal situations fragile. The security establishment has been keeping a close vigil and undertaking anti-encroachment drives  to secure such areas in the vicinity of the border which are or have the potential to be turned into a depot of illicit activities.

In recent such steps, the Gujarat government bulldozed illegal encroachment on nearly 4,000 acre land on Pirotan Island. As per reports, the authorities also razed several illegal Mazars during the anti-encroachment drive. Several videos are making rounds on social media comparing the extent of illegal encroachment on Pirotan Island. Incidentally, it also highlights the threat of changing demographic composition in this strategic location that is very adjacent to the India-Pakistan border. 

Sharing information about the anti-encroachment drive, Home Minister in the Gujarat government, Harsh Sanghavi tweeted, “Pirotan Tapu (Island) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is now free from all illegal encroachments! Pirotran Island, part of Marine National Park, is crucial for national security & marine life. Yesterday, 9 illegal religious structures spanning 4000 sq ft were removed from the island, restoring its natural state.”

According to the Information Department of the Government of Gujarat, the site is near the five SPM (Single Point Mooring), which supply 60% of the country’s crude oil. The island is also part of the Marine National Park. Illegal encroachments were causing significant harm to marine life, especially coral reefs. 

Furthermore, due to encroachment, the unauthorised movement of people has significantly increased on the island which has raised serious concerns for national security.

The region is close to the border and the government suspects that the site can be used by Pakistan as a landing site for illegal substances such as NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances). 

Besides, the demographic changes near the marine border has resulted in settlement of anti-social elements in the region who could potentially be involved in illicit landing of smuggled substances. 

The latest action is similar to the long undergoing anti-encroachment drive in Bet Dwarka. The island is sacred to Hindus and is merely 80 nautical miles from Pakistan. The drive started in October 2022 and is still underway. 

The illegal settlement brought huge demographic disparity with 85 percent of the population being Muslims over the time. In a televised interview with India TV, Dwarka SP said that earlier these encroachers were found involved in drug trafficking and other big offenses from across the border. 

They settle and start with fishing in the sea but gradually turn to smuggling and illegal trafficking of banned substances as the area is a good landing point. 

Surprisingly, this trend is not limited to Bet Dwarka or Pirotan Islands. There are nearly 23 islands where such illegal encroachment is carried out. 

In Dwarka only, there is a place called Okha which is situated on the seashore and serves as a landing point. The authorities razed a dargah of panj peer which was built on an encroached land originally belonging to Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). This must be noted here that in September 2023, the Dwarka Police intercepted a boat with three Iranian nationals in Okha. Heroin and a satellite phone were recovered from them.

One important trend that is widely seen in these places is the construction of masjids, dargahs or other religious places which later became a contentious issue and went to court.

During the recent drive in Bet Dwarka, 65 illegally encroached lands were freed but seven religious structures were left after the court provided stay.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to connect the dots and find out why the anti-national activities are carried out at borders with demography changing efforts and how a religious place becomes a centre for such places.