Borduwa (Assam), Dec 29: With the Assam Assembly elections less than six months away, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday mounted a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of shielding illegal immigrants and treating infiltrators from Bangladesh as a vote bank.
Addressing a public rally at Borduwa during his day-long visit to the state, Shah said the BJP government would identify and deport all illegal immigrants not only from Assam but from across the country if given another term in office.
Assam, which will elect a 126-member Assembly next year, is witnessing an aggressive political push by the ruling party. Shah, regarded as the BJP’s chief election planner, urged voters to allow the party to continue in power for five more years to complete the process of identifying infiltrators while safeguarding the rights of indigenous residents.
“The Centre will ensure that every illegal immigrant is identified and sent back,” Shah said, asserting that unchecked infiltration had weakened Assam’s cultural fabric over the years.
Congress Accused of Legal Cover to Infiltrators
Shah alleged that the Congress government had institutionalised protection for illegal migrants through the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, 1983, which he said had tied the hands of authorities. The law was later struck down by the Supreme Court.
He claimed that successive Congress regimes failed to act against infiltration, leading to long periods of unrest, violence, and social tension in the state.
Taking a swipe at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Shah said Assam had received little attention during his tenure, alleging that visits to the state were rare and largely symbolic.
Focus on Culture, Security and Development
During the visit, Shah inaugurated the redeveloped Batadrava Than in Nagaon district, the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, built at a cost of ₹227 crore. He said the site had been cleared of encroachments and restored as a centre of faith and heritage.
Shah also paid tribute at the Swahid Smarak Kshetra, honouring the martyrs of the six-year-long Assam Movement against illegal immigration, calling the memorial a long-pending recognition of their sacrifice.
Claiming major gains under the BJP-led state government headed by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Shah said over one lakh bighas of land had been reclaimed from illegal occupants, including encroached forest areas in Kaziranga National Park.
Infrastructure Push and Law Enforcement Upgrades
The Union Home Minister inaugurated the permanent building of the Guwahati Police Commissionerate and launched a city-wide surveillance system with nearly 2,000 CCTV cameras. An exhibition on newly enacted criminal laws, organised by the state CID, was also opened at the premises.
Later in the day, Shah inaugurated a 5,000-seat auditorium — the largest in the North East — named Jyoti-Bishnu Antarjatik Kala Mandir. He said the venue symbolised Assam’s transition from years of unrest to a phase of peace and orderly governance.
Recalling the past, Shah said Assam had once been plagued by frequent shutdowns, blockades, bomb blasts, and insurgent activity, a situation that, he claimed, had now been brought under control.
Welfare Initiatives Highlighted
At the auditorium event, beneficiaries of the state’s Congenital Heart Disease programme were present. Shah praised the initiative, stating that it would allow affected children to lead normal lives and contribute meaningfully to society in the years ahead.
After concluding his engagements, Shah departed for Kolkata. Chief Minister Sarma later expressed gratitude on social media, thanking the Home Minister for dedicating multiple projects to the state and paying homage to the Assam Movement martyrs.
