Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused the Congress of compromising Assam’s land, culture and identity by encouraging illegal immigrants to enter and settle in the northeastern state, as he laid the foundation stone of the new campus of Assam Police’s 10th Battalion in Kosutoli.
“Congress allowed them to settle on the state’s fertile land. It led to a demographic crisis for the identity of indigenous Assamese and the party didn’t protect the people’s homes and culture from these infiltrators,” Shah said, sharpening the BJP’s attack on the opposition over the long-standing issue of infiltration.
Shah said that till Assam’s land is rid of all illegal infiltrators, the state can never remain secure and blamed the Congress for failing to do anything for the state’s good, its culture or development.
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“I challenge the Congress to promise to rid Assam of illegal immigrants in its manifesto for the coming assembly polls in Assam. But I am sure that they will not do it. But I can assure you that not only will we remove them from encroached lands but will deport them from the country,” he said.
The new campus of the 10th Battalion of Assam Police will be constructed on a plot that was freed of encroachment by illegal settlers. Of the 708 bighas (234 acres) of land freed of encroachers, 174 bighas (57 acres) will be used to construct the new battalion at a cost of ₹260 crore.
{{/usCountry}}The new campus of the 10th Battalion of Assam Police will be constructed on a plot that was freed of encroachment by illegal settlers. Of the 708 bighas (234 acres) of land freed of encroachers, 174 bighas (57 acres) will be used to construct the new battalion at a cost of ₹260 crore.
{{/usCountry}}“This is a significant event...A spot which was a challenge earlier from a security point of view would now put an end to that threat after construction of the new battalion,” said Shah.
Speaking at the event, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that in the past five years, the BJP-led government in the state has removed encroachers from 150,000 bighas (49,500 acres) of the total 4 million bighas (1.32 million acres) under illegal occupation.
“Our eviction drives against such encroachers will continue, and I promise to free 500,000 bighas (165,000 acres) of illegal settlers if we come to power in the coming assembly polls,” he said, seeking support from those present to bring back the Bharatiya Janata Party to power again.