Don’t single out Delhi; deport illegal migrants nationwide, AASU urges Centre

Guwahati, March 10: The Government of India's action for detection and deportation of Bangladesh nationals and Rohingyas should be the same for the entire country and it should not differ from State to State, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has demanded.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently directed Delhi Police and the Delhi government to launch a drive to detect and deport Bangladesh nationals and Rohingyas from the National Capital Region (NCR).

He said that Bangladesh nationals and Rohingyas are posing a threat to national security. He also asked police to take strict action against persons involved in facilitating the stay of Bangladesh nationals and Rohingyas in Delhi and helping them to make fake documents.

Immediately after the Home Minister's order, Delhi Police launched a special two-month-long drive to detect and deport Bangladesh nationals and Rohingyas from the NCR and drives are being carried out in different parts of the national capital.

Commenting on the order of the Union Home Minister, AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya alleged that the Central Government has adopted different approaches for different States.

"If the Union Home Minister can order Delhi Police to detect and deport foreigners from Delhi, why can't the Government take similar action in Assam? Two States of the same country should not have different approaches on an issue which is posing a threat to the security of the nation," he said.

Bhattacharya pointed out that the problem faced by Assam is much more serious as the demography of the State has changed due to illegal migration. He said that the people of Assam agitated for six years for a solution to the problem of infiltrators, while more than 39 years have passed since the signing of the Assam Accord for detection and deportation of foreigners.

He said that infiltration of foreigners has not only posed a threat to the identity of the indigenous people of the State but also posed a serious threat to the security of the nation, as along with illegal migrants, elements of jihadi groups are also infiltrating into Assam. Assam Police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have already arrested a number of members of jihadi groups.

Under the circumstances, the Union Home Minister should issue a similar order to detect and deport foreigners living illegally in Assam, and a special drive like in Delhi should be launched in Assam to detect and deport illegal migrants, the AASU demanded.

- By R Dutta Choudhury