Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Monday, made a strong pledge to identify and deport all illegal infiltrators across India. He urged voters in poll-bound Assam to elect the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for another five-year term to achieve an "infiltrator-free" state.
Launching the Election Campaign in Guwahati
In his first public engagement in Guwahati, Shah effectively launched the BJP's campaign for the assembly elections scheduled for early next year. He inaugurated the revamped Batadrava Than, the sacred birthplace of the 15th-century saint Srimanta Sankardev. Later, he inaugurated a mega auditorium named after cultural icons Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rabha.
"Elections will come in March, April. Choose such a government that does not allow infiltrators to enter and one that makes Assam a developed state," Shah stated, addressing the gathering.
A Resolve Against Encroachment and Infiltration
Pointing to the redevelopment of Batadrava Than as a symbol of the government's resolve, Shah highlighted that the land was freed from encroachers. He declared, "Our resolve is to work to evict every single infiltrator not only from Assam, but by identifying them across the entire country."
He launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, accusing it of protecting infiltrators for decades as a vote bank. He specifically mentioned the 1983 Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act (IMDT), which he said legitimized their settlement and undermined Assam's culture, language, and identity.
"I appeal to the people of Assam to give us another five years. It is our resolve to completely free the state of infiltrators. Infiltrators pose a very serious threat to the country’s security and to Assam’s culture," Shah emphasized.
Praise for State Leadership and Development Push
Shah praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his efforts in evicting encroachers and restoring sacred sites. He noted that more than 1.29 lakh bighas of land have been freed from illegal occupation across Assam, including in Kaziranga National Park.
He credited the double-engine government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state leadership for pulling Assam out of a "nightmare-like period" marked by violence and insurgency. "Since BJP government came... Assam is advancing on the path of development, keeping pace with the country," he said.
Shah also paid tribute to Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi, crediting him for ensuring Assam remained a part of India post-independence.
Inauguration of Key Projects
Later in the day, the Home Minister inaugurated several high-value development projects in Guwahati, including:
- A new Rs 111-crore police commissionerate building.
- The ₹189-crore Integrated Command and Control System (ICCS) to enhance city security.
- The ₹291-crore Jyoti Bishnu Cultural Complex, a 5,000-seater auditorium billed as eastern India's largest.
He also paid floral tributes to the martyrs of the Assam movement at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra in Guwahati.
