Gaurav Gogoi accused of anti-defence rhetoric
Guwahati, May 10: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday declared that all identified illegal foreign nationals in the state—except those involved in ongoing legal proceedings—have been pushed back to Bangladesh. This includes individuals detained in camps and Rohingya immigrants.
Speaking at a press conference marking the completion of four years of his government, Sarma said, “Everyone in the detention camps has been sent back to Bangladesh, except a few who are still involved in litigation. The process of identifying and deporting foreigners is nearly complete.”
The Chief Minister emphasized a major policy shift in dealing with cross-border infiltration, stating that Assam has moved away from lengthy legal procedures and now opts for immediate pushbacks at the border. “Earlier, infiltrators were arrested, brought into the legal system, and presented before courts. We’ve changed that. Now, we stop them at the border itself and push them back—no entry,” he said.
Sarma called this pushback policy a “new phenomenon” that has significantly reduced illegal entries. He claimed that while around 4,000 to 5,000 people attempt to enter Assam annually, the new system has minimized successful infiltrations. “In the last ten days alone, several individuals have been sent back. We haven’t noticed any unusual activity on the Indo-Bangla border,” he added.
He also noted that border surveillance has improved and that the pushback mechanism has now become a “daily affair” and is being institutionalized.
Regarding national security, Sarma made a sharp remark about Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, accusing him of harbouring pro-Pakistan sentiments. “Except for Gogoi, action has been taken against all such individuals. Gogoi made several critical remarks when the Sukhoi-30 was purchased. His social media posts consistently target India’s defence forces,” Sarma alleged.
The Chief Minister’s comments reflect Assam’s increasingly assertive stance on border security and illegal immigration, amid heightened political and national security debates.
