The Bengal government's intensified crackdown on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants has prompted a rise in the crowd in the border areas. Bangladeshi nationals were seen at the Hakimpur border area in the North 24 Parganas district of the state.
This is not the first time that such scenes surfaced from Hakimpur. During the special intensive revision (SIR) of the poll rolls, a large crowd also gathered at the border area to return to Bangladesh.
CM Suvendu Adhikari-led Bengal government issued an order to all the districts to operationalise holding centres for illegal foreign nationals. Within 48 hours, the first centres became operational in Malda with CCTV surveillance, police deployment, food arrangements and civil defence personnel deployment, according to news agency PTI.
Bangladeshi nationals reach border
A Bangladeshi national, while speaking to the media, said that he had been living in India for over a year.
"I have been living here in Dum Dum for the past one or two years. If the administration does not keep us here, then what can we do? Tell me. If the government does not support us, we cannot stay here, so what else can we do?" he said.
No court proceedings, direct deportation via BSF
The latest action has been taken under the BJP's long-standing policy of 'Detect, Delete and Deport'.
Apart from setting up holding centres, the government has announced to hand over the detained infiltrators directly (without producing in the court) to the Border Security Forces (BSF).
Last week, CM Suvendu said, "Those who are outside the purview of the CAA are infiltrators and will be arrested by the state police and handed over to the BSF".
Under the proposed mechanism, the BSF would coordinate with Border Guards Bangladesh to expedite deportation formalities.
BJP leaders react
BJP MP Khagen Murmu reacted to the gathering at the border, saying, "Holding centres are the only place for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. It was said in the BJP’s manifesto as well that there is no place in India for infiltrators…some have fled, some have been deported, and some are still hiding. We will find them all. They all will be kept in holding centres, and then the govt will decide its course…party and govt are not the same."
Lashing out at TMC, Murmu added, "Unlike TMC, BJP would not come in the way of govt works…central govt's priority is to ensure safety and security of the country, that is why the fencing work along Bengal borders is going on, which was stalled for the past 15 years…"
BJP MLA Bishal Lama accused the previous TMC government of giving asylum to Rohingyas and Bangladeshis to allegedly get their votes.
"The previous govt had given asylum to illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas as they were their vote banks. Now they know the cost of entering a country without proper documents. Many whose names were deleted in SIR are now fleeing or being deported…random checking will bring out many more like this that the previous govt had given shelter to…earlier, TMC used to rig elections, loot votes, the public hardly got to cast their votes on their own terms,” he s