Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that people are still coming illegally to India from Bangladesh and bordering states must be vigilant to prevent 'infiltration'.
Stating that Assam and Tripura are working together to stop illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, he urged West Bengal to take a strict stand in this regard, reports NDTV.
He said that 138 individuals attempting to enter India from Bangladesh have been apprehended over the last two months in Assam and Tripura, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance in border states to prevent further infiltration.
"Every day for the past two months, we’ve been intercepting one or more foreign nationals in our state," Sarma said at a press conference. "Despite the Border Security Force’s best efforts, some individuals are still able to cross into India due to the porous boundary with Bangladesh."
Sarma emphasised the proactive role states must play in curbing illegal immigration from Bangladesh, pointing out that Assam and Tripura are working closely to address this issue.
He urged the West Bengal government to also join forces with the BSF to detect and prevent unauthorised entries.
"Tripura is identifying some foreign nationals, as is Assam," he noted. "We’re coordinating with the BSF in this effort. Sometimes it’s a joint operation, sometimes the BSF takes the lead, and at other times, it’s the state police. It’s a coordinated approach."
He stressed the importance of each state working in tandem with the BSF. "Assam and Tripura are already closely aligned in detecting these individuals. If West Bengal also steps up detection efforts, this can become a systematic, well-coordinated effort."
Sarma also addressed assumptions about the identity of those attempting to cross the border, noting that while some expect Hindu-Bengalis to flee instability in Bangladesh, data shows that most detected infiltrators are Rohingya Muslims.
"The perception that Hindu-Bengalis are the ones crossing is incorrect, according to the data. Instead, it’s predominantly Rohingya Muslims who are trying to enter various states in India," he added.