Express News Service
GUWAHATI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday took potshots at the Trinamool Congress government on illegal Bangladeshi immigration by highlighting the active steps taken in Assam.
At a rally in Guwahati on the first anniversary of Himanta Biswa Sarma’s BJP-led government, Shah lamented that Bengal was not cooperating with the Centre in preventing “infiltration”.
“By standing like a wall against infiltration, the Assam government is helping the Centre. This is the reason why we are getting a lot of success in Assam. But there is no cooperation from Bengal and as such, there is no success in the state,” he said.
Home Minister Amit Shah addressesa programme of Assam Police | PtiThe Home Minister said statistics revealed the cases of illegal migration of people from Bangladesh to Assam got reduced substantially over the past six years under the BJP. Some works are left and once they are completed, infiltration can be checked, he said.
Shah lauded the Sarma government for clearing encroachment at the Satras (Vaishnavite prayer centres).
“We had promised to rid the Satras of infiltrators. In entire Assam, 10,700 bighas of land have been freed of the infiltrators by the BJP government,” he said.
“We had also promised that we will not allow the smuggling of cows to Bangladesh through Assam. I can proudly say today that all doors have been shut. The smugglers are now afraid of the Assam police from Assam to Hyderabad.”
Shah claimed violence, agitation, insurgency in Assam had been replaced by peace, development, health and education under the BJP — first by former CM Sarbananda Sonowal and then by the incumbent CM Sarma.
He said efforts were being made towards resolving Assam’s boundary disputes with some states.
“After 30 years, AFSPA has been removed from 60% areas of Assam. It was removed as peace was established. Under the Congress, the AFSPA was extended 60 times.”
Shah alleged that “the previous governments had kept the northeast region divided over various issues for political benefits”.
He also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his poll promise of removing the AFSPA.
“I want to tell Rahul baba that you had said if the Congress came to power in the 2019 polls, the AFSPA would be repealed but your promise was an act of appeasement.”
