GUWAHATI, Jan 1 : In line with the BJP-led government’s commitment towards the issue of illegal foreigners in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the government would continue to push back declared foreigners within one week of such a declaration by the Foreigners’ Tribunal.
Sarma was interacting with media on the first day of the New year at the state guest house at Khanapara.
The Chief Minister said nearly 2,000 illegal foreigners have been pushed back across the international border with Bangladesh in the past few months under provisions of a 1950 law, the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam), Act (IEAA).
“We have taken a decision that those declared foreigners by FT would be pushed back within seven days so that these people do not find time to appeal against the order in the High court and Supreme Court,” he said, adding the government has adopted the policy to push back these aliens after the Supreme Court sought expulsion of illegal foreigners and upholding the IEAA, 1950.
He said that while the present government acted towards pushing back, this attitude was not there with the other governments in the past. The Chief minister said the government recently freed 1.45 lakh bighas of land from encroachment in the last five years.
“As we have carried out the eviction drives, our commitment towards sending back illegal foreigners is firm,” he added.
The Supreme Court in October last year upheld the validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act (CA), 1955, which grants Indian citizenship to those who entered Assam from Bangladesh prior to March 24, 1971 (when Bangladesh came into being).
The Chief Minister said according to the apex court, once a person is declared a foreigner, a deputy commissioner can order his immediate expulsion.
(UNI)
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