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Assam decides to stop issuing new Aadhaar cards to adults after one-month window
The move is designed to restrict access of fresh illegal immigrants from getting hold of local identity documents
SILCHAR: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that people in Assam will have a one-month window from September 1 to apply for the 12-digit Aadhaar identity number before the issuance of fresh cards to adults is stopped as a precautionary measure to ensure that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh do not obtain the identification number in the future.
Only a one-month window from September 1 will be given to them to apply for an Aadhaar card if anyone has not got the document yet, he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting here.
Already, the chief minister said, Assam has reached the saturation point.
The new order will take effect from October 1, with exceptions for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Tea Tribes, the chief minister told reporters.
“This is a precautionary measure to ensure no illegal foreigner can become an Indian citizen in the future. It is irrespective of religion or any other criteria. We are committed to safeguarding Assam from infiltration,” Sarma said.
The chief minister pointed out that Aadhaar enrolment in Assam has already exceeded the population count. “The saturation among the general population is 102 per cent, which means the number of cards is higher than the number of people. But in the case of Tea Tribes, SC and ST, saturation is only 96 per cent, which is why they need more time,” he explained.
Sarma said a genuine Indian adult who has been left out could approach the district commissioner, who would have to verify their credentials and approve issuance of Aadhaar in the “rarest of rare” circumstances.
The chief minister recalled the state’s continuous crackdown on illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
“In the last one year, we have been detaining and deporting illegal Bangladeshi immigrants almost every day. Just yesterday, seven people were deported. But we cannot rule out the possibility that some may have slipped through. This restriction will act as a deterrent measure,” he said.
Sarma said Assam’s demography had undergone stark changes in the past.
“In many areas, indigenous Assamese people have lost jobs, land and other facilities to illegal migrants. During eviction drives, they have even attacked government officials. In Uriamghat, 12,000 to 15,000 people gathered to resist officials. Many were not locals... This shows a larger conspiracy, and we are fighting against it,” he alleged.
He also argued that there is hardly any need for new Aadhaar enrolment among adults, as most of them already have the identity card. “Only children and newborns now require Aadhaar enrolment,” he said.
Following the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in 2018, more than 2.66 million people in Assam were initially denied Aadhaar cards. However, the Supreme Court later allowed them to obtain the card.
