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Assam's Stance on Foreign Nationals

On Wednesday, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister of Assam, reiterated that the state government is committed to repatriating foreigners, regardless of their inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Sarma expressed skepticism regarding the manner in which names were added to the NRC, suggesting that it should not be the sole document for determining an individual's citizenship.

During an event in Darang, he stated, “Many individuals have registered their names in the NRC through improper means, which is why we have adopted this policy. If authorities are fully convinced that a person is a foreign national, they will be sent back.”

In recent weeks, numerous individuals across Assam have faced scrutiny regarding their citizenship, leading to the detention of many, with some being deported back to Bangladesh. A few of these individuals returned after being denied citizenship by the neighboring country.

Sarma remarked, “I personally do not agree that merely having a name in the NRC is sufficient to determine that someone is not an illegal immigrant.” He also accused social activist and author Harsh Mander of having spent two years in Assam, during which he allegedly encouraged some local youths to pursue education abroad and manipulate the NRC.

Sarma added, “We were unaware of these conspiracies at the time. It was only after becoming Chief Minister that I learned about these issues.” He mentioned that 19 individuals were sent back on Tuesday night, with another nine scheduled for deportation on Wednesday night.