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Himanta calls for coordinated efforts by states, BSF to check illegal migrants
Himanta Biswa Sarma said that every state government must remain vigilant and work very closely with the BSF to check illegal migrants entering India
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that states bordering Bangladesh should work together with Border Security Force (BSF) to check illegal migrants entering India through the international border.
“Every state government must remain vigilant and work very closely with BSF. Assam and Tripura are working in a coordinated manner. If West Bengal government also starts detecting such people, it will be a well-orchestrated and systematic effort,” Sarma told media persons in Guwahati
He added, “But if we push back somebody and they reenter through the West Bengal border. I think Assam, Tripura, West Bengal and Meghalaya must support BSF aggressively. Otherwise, things may deteriorate.”
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He said, “Contrary to expectation that Hindus will come to India because of the instability in Bangladesh, we are finding only Rohingya Muslims who are coming to our country. It shows that the perception about Hindu Bangladeshis is wrong as per data. Secondly, Rohingya Muslims are still trying to enter various states of our country (which shares borders with Bangladesh).”
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He said that for the past two month, one or a group of illegal foreigners have been captured in the state. Sarma said that due to the porous boundary between India and Bangladesh, despite best efforts by BSF there are some people who are coming into the country illegally.
“State government must play a very proactive role. Like Assam, Tripura is also identifying such foreigners. But people (who are entering India illegally) are still going to various states of the country. Because we find many people who are going back to Bangladesh to bring more people,” he said.
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Sometimes illegals are identified through joint operations and at other times by BSF and the state police independently. He said in the last two months 138 infiltrators have been detected and sent back.
