Amit Shah Vows to Deport Infiltrators from Assam in 5 Years

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently reaffirmed the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) commitment to identifying and deporting 'infiltrators' from Assam and the entire country within five years, should the party secure another term in power. These strong statements were made during his visits to Assam, particularly in the run-up to the state's upcoming Assembly elections, expected in March-April. Speaking at various public gatherings, including a foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new campus of the Assam Police 10th Battalion in Kachutoli, Shah explicitly stated that illegal immigrants would be removed not only from electoral rolls but also from India itself. This battalion headquarters is being established on land reportedly freed from encroachers, which Shah linked directly to infiltrators. He emphasized that merely evicting infiltrators from encroached lands is insufficient; they must be removed from the country entirely. Shah launched a scathing attack on the opposition, particularly the Congress party, accusing them of turning infiltrators into a vote bank for decades. He alleged that the Congress's policies, such as the introduction of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) (IMDT) Act in 1983 (later struck down by the Supreme Court), facilitated illegal immigration and threatened Assam's demographic and cultural identity. Shah challenged opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, to explicitly mention the removal of infiltrators in their election manifestos if they were genuinely committed to the cause. The Home Minister underscored that the presence of these infiltrators posed a significant threat to national security and the development of Assam. He highlighted that areas in Assam like Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, Darrang, Bongaigaon, and Nagaon have become 'infiltrator-dominated' due to the alleged lax policies of previous governments. In contrast, Shah lauded the efforts of the current BJP-led state government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for freeing substantial tracts of land—reportedly 1.45 lakh bighas—from encroachers and infiltrators. Beyond deportation, Shah also spoke about broader initiatives aimed at strengthening border security and developing border areas. He launched the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II) from Assam's Cachar district, an initiative with an estimated outlay of Rs 6,900-7,000 crore. This program aims to curb migration from border areas, prevent infiltration, and provide essential facilities like all-weather roads, electricity, mobile connectivity, and healthcare to border villages, thereby transforming them into 'first villages' of India. Shah asserted that the development of these villages is crucial for national security and economic growth, aiming for 'zero migration from border villages, zero infiltration into the country and zero disparity between border and mainland regions.' The BJP's stance on infiltrators is a long-standing one, often equating them with 'illegal immigrants' or 'Bangladeshis' in the context of the northeastern region. Shah's recent pronouncements signal a renewed focus on this issue as a key plank for the upcoming state elections, linking it directly to the party's governance record and future promises. He also mentioned the Election Commission's ongoing Summary Revision (SIR) to identify infiltrators in electoral rolls, while accusing the opposition of agitating against this exercise. Furthermore, Shah asserted that India, like its success in curbing Naxalism, would also be freed from the menace of infiltrators. The statements underscore the BJP's resolve to address what it perceives as a critical challenge to India's internal security and the cultural integrity of states like Assam, making the issue of immigration and deportation a central theme in its political discourse and election strategy.

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