New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made a clear remark regarding the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He stated that irrespective of whether a person’s name is included in the NRC or not, illegal foreigners will be deported from the country. At present, NRC is a widely discussed topic in Assam. In the midst of this, Sarma clarified the state government’s firm stance on dealing with infiltrators.
Emphasising on strict action against illegal immigrants, he further said that even if their names appear in the NRC, the government will continue to identify them and deport them based on the current policy. The Chief Minister added that it is natural to have doubts about the way names were included in the NRC. It cannot be considered as the sole document to determine someone’s citizenship, he observed.
Deporting lakhs of people not easy: Sarma
Sarma said, “The process of deporting foreigners will continue. Yes, it is true that deporting lakhs of people is not easy. But whether their names are in NRC or not, if we identify them as foreigners, we will send them back. That is our policy. Many people have managed to enter their names in NRC through deceitful means, so even if a person’s name is in the list, if we find out they are foreigners, they will be deported.”
Further alleging that certain lapses occurred during the NRC process, he added, “Now that I am the Chief Minister, I have learned about this,” Sarma said. “So NRC can be a reference, but I am not ready to accept it as a final basis for issuing permanent land rights or citizenship.”
In the recent times, several illegal foreigners have been deported from Assam. Some have been arrested and sent back to Bangladesh. In a few cases, neighbouring countries have refused to acknowledge some of them as their citizens. this has caused some of them to return.
