Silchar: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday claimed that Hindus have not tried to enter India from Bangladesh since the neighbouring country plunged into instability.
“Hindus are staying and fighting in Bangladesh. In the last one month, not a single Hindu person has been detected trying to enter India,” he said at a press conference here.
He also asserted that Muslims from the neighbouring country were attempting to crossover to seek employment in India's textile sector.
“35 Muslim infiltrators have been arrested in the past one month... they are trying to enter... but those coming are headed for Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore to work in the textile industry,” the CM claimed.
“We have intercepted and pushed them back. Fortunately or unfortunately, they belong to one community,” he said.
The infiltrators trying to enter through Tripura, travel via Karimganj in Assam by train and reach the south Indian cities, Sarma said.
Those trying to enter India illegally are being apprehended by the police force of Assam and Tripura, and the BSF, he said. Sarma maintained that if Hindus wanted to come, they would have done so at the time of Partition.
“They consider Bangladesh as their motherland, hence they didn’t come. We should have respect for them,” the CM said.
“We have requested our prime minister to impress upon the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of Hindus,” said Sarma.
On Bengali Hindus who migrated to India prior to 2014, the deadline set for granting Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the chief minister asserted that the number of such people in Assam will nowhere be near 20 lakh, as claimed by a section of anti-CAA activists.
To ease the process for these immigrants to get citizenship, Sarma said, “Police have been directed not to visit them as they (Hindu Bengalis from Bangladesh) will take the CAA route... We are also trying for disposal of cases in Foreigners’ Tribunals.”
The Assam government is also trying to activate the biometrics of the eligible people, frozen during the NRC updating process, and these measures together will ensure that the Bengali Hindus don’t face further problems, he said.
“I don’t think the number of people who will benefit from these measures is very high. Maximum... maybe it will be 20,000. But, the anti-CAA leaders provoked the people of Assam by saying that 20 lakh people will enter and get citizenship under the CAA,” Sarma said.
On impact of the regime change in Bangladesh, Sarma said, “The northeast insurgency situation might change now... If a government is installed that is anti-India, we will definitely have a problem.”
“But, let us wait and watch. Elections are to be conducted there. After the polls, we will know what kind of government is formed. Saying anything now is premature,” he added.
The CM also said that the instability in Bangladesh could have a bearing on the Paresh Barua-led ULFA (I).
“Paresh Barua has 700 trained cadres, a very good network of well-wishers who are not well-wishers of India, and with instability in Bangladesh, he has his power.
“We cannot undermine this, but the police should have more power to control the situation. I won’t say ULFA(I) is a dying organisation, but we have had peace for the last three years and we will continue to ensure it,” Sarma added.