Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
Guwahati: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma late on Saturday said in a major “pushback” 20 illegal immigrants had been sent back to Bangladesh. This is the second-largest number of immigrants who have been sent back to the neighbouring country this year, after 21 were “pushed back” last month.Taking to his X account, Himanta said Assam will continue to crackdown on illegal infiltration, adding, “Assam will fight, pushbacks will continue.”Himanta, who has made the influx of illegal immigrants a major part of his poll pitch while campaigning for BJP in West Bengal, said those who only understand kicks cannot be reasoned with words.“We continuously remind ourselves of this prophetic line when we expel infiltrators from Assam who don’t leave themselves. For instance, these 20 illegal Bangladeshis who were PUSHED BACK last night,” Himanta wrote.While he did not disclose when and where were they caught or how they were pushed back, Himanta reiterated that “pushback” will be Assam’s new strategy to keep infiltrators out of the state, instead of imprisoning them and getting entangled in a prolonged legal processes.Earlier in the year, Himanta said Assam will speed up its policy of pushing back illegal migrants directly from the border and will not wait for a repatriation treaty between India and Bangladesh.Campaigning in West Bengal, Himanta has repeatedly sought support from Hindu voters, alleging that Bangladeshi infiltrators were changing the state’s demography, and were treating it as an entry point before entering neighbouring states such as Assam.Even while campaigning in Assam, the CM said BJP did not need votes from the “Miya” community to win.Since the political upheaval in Bangladesh in 2024, numerous infiltration attempts have been made along the India-Bangladesh border, which have been successfully foiled by the security forces. While a new govt has been formed in the neighbouring country, security sources said infiltration attempts were continuing, with western and southern Assam districts most vulnerable to such attempts.
