GUWAHATI, Jan 1: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said identity and development will be the focus of the forthcoming assembly polls due in a few months.
The state government was committed to ensuring that illegal immigrants are identified and expelled from the state, the chief minister said at an interaction with media persons in a programme titled ‘Natun Diner Alap’ (Conversations of a new day) on the occasion of the new year.
“There can be no development in the state if the interests of the indigenous population are not protected,” he said.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also made this very clear during his recent visit to the state that the illegal immigrants, once identified, will be expelled from the country.
“The soft line is not available now with the Supreme Court giving the directive that once a person is identified as a foreigner, the deputy commissioner can give that person the order to vacate the country,” he added.
Sarma asserted that the ongoing development works would continue and “we want to ensure that it reaches our people”.
The CM said that earlier, once a person was identified as a foreigner by the tribunals, the state government would write to the Centre, and then the External Affairs ministry forwarded it to the Bangladesh authorities which took a long time to respond, and sometimes, the response did not come even.
“This option is now no longer available and we are committed to push back the illegal foreigners,” Sarma said, adding that this policy will protect the identity of the people.
A total of 1,517 people, including Declared Foreign Nationals (DFN), Convicted Foreign Nationals (CFN) and fresh illegal migrants were sent back during the last five years, and 1,043 fresh migrants of them were returned since May last year.
Sarma said that there are instances where indigenous Muslims in the state may feel hurt, but at the same time, indigenous Hindus also feel hurt under different circumstances.
“We must not overlook the concerns of the Hindus, and the indigenous Muslims should come forward to address these. They both should unite and work for the welfare of Assam”, he said.
The chief minister cited the recent incident of throwing of beef in areas of Dhubri town where Hindus live, and they are affected by it.
“Around 18,000 to 20,000 kgs of beef are sold and Hindus feel concerned about it. In the same manner, incidents of ‘love jihad’ also create fear in them”, he added.
‘Love jihad’ is a term used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.
It is, therefore, important that both indigenous Hindu and Muslim communities unite and address the concerns created by the infiltrators which will give “confidence to the Hindus”, he added.
The chief minister further said that he has a clear ideological stand on the issue and people ‘must come to Assam and see for themselves about what we are doing for the poor and downtrodden’.
“Our policies on banning polygamy, child marriage and empowerment have brought happiness to many Muslim women and they openly praise us,” Sarma said.
He said that he has no problem about what people think about his stand on infiltrators and ‘it is not my job to change anyone’s perception’.
Sarma said his New Year’s resolution was to ensure the BJP’s return to power in the state for a third consecutive term.
“BJP is winning the elections…. We stay among the people and we know their pulse,” he added. (PTI)
