Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday issued a strong statement on illegal infiltration in West Bengal, indicating that the Centre is preparing for an aggressive border-security push along the India–Bangladesh frontier. Addressing a public meeting in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, Home Minister Shah said nearly 600 hectares of land has reportedly been handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) within just seven days by the Suvendhu Adhikari-led government to accelerate border infrastructure and security.
He said special focus has been placed on the strategically sensitive “Chicken Neck” corridor, where around 121 hectares of land has been transferred to strengthen surveillance and national security measures.
Shah claimed that the intensified action has already started creating pressure on illegal infiltrators, with reports suggesting that many are now returning on their own amid tighter monitoring and enforcement.
The Home Minister also highlighted the development of detention centres across the state to deal with illegal immigration cases more effectively. He said the long-pending fencing work along the India–Bangladesh border is expected to restart soon, aiming to plug vulnerable infiltration routes.
Reaffirming the Centre’s hardline stance, Amit Shah declared that every illegal immigrant would be identified and sent back.
CM Adhikari’s stark warning to infiltrators
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday said strict action should be taken against alleged Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the state. He stressed the need to set up holding centres in every district to deal with such cases.
Referring to the Foreigners Act, the Chief Minister said the law has existed for many years and should be implemented properly. He added that the police had been instructed not to keep illegal infiltrators in regular jails. According to Adhikari, housing such people in prisons would place an unnecessary burden on the country’s resources. Instead, he said, they should be sent back to Bangladesh, calling it the responsibility of the neighbouring country to take them back.
“There should be a holding centre in every district. After that, people should cross the border out of fear. This is under the existing Foreigners Act; it is not a new law. These people should leave. Since they are Bangladeshi citizens, it is Bangladesh’s responsibility to take them back. When we raised this issue here, I saw on social media and YouTube that their spokesperson had said they would take back Bangladeshi nationals. So, if these people are Bangladeshi, they should be taken back,” CM Adhikari said.
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