West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said that around 10,000 people identified as "illegal" immigrants have been sent back to Bangladesh by India's Border Security Force (BSF) as the state intensifies its crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Addressing the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday, Suvendu Adhikari said another 1,800 people are currently being held in 12 detention centres across the state while authorities continue verification and deportation efforts.
The West Bengal chief minister sought to reassure Indian citizens, saying those with valid citizenship documents had nothing to fear.
"It does not matter which religion or community they belong to or their political affiliation," Suvendu Adhikari told lawmakers, adding that action would continue against those residing in the state illegally.
The chief minister said border security measures were also being strengthened. According to Suvendu Adhikari, construction of barbed-wire fencing along a 600-kilometre stretch of the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal is expected to be completed within the next six months.
"The barbed-wire fencing along 600 kilometres of the border in Bengal will be completed within the next six months, as the country's safety and security are our priority," the West Bengal chief minister said.
Suvendu Adhikari also said undocumented immigrants would be returned to Bangladesh rather than housed in Indian prisons at public expense.
"The illegal immigrants will be pushed back to Bangladesh. We will not send them to jail and provide them with free food and medicine. Instead, that money will be used for special assistance schemes for women and other welfare schemes," the chief minister said.
According to Suvendu Adhikari, many Bangladeshi nationals have already left India and returned through the Hakimpur border crossing.
The West Bengal chief minister further said that 142.79 acres of land have so far been handed over to the BSF to facilitate border fencing projects along the India-Bangladesh frontier.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Suvendu Adhikari launched its campaign against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh after taking office in May. The administration says the measures are intended to strengthen border management and enforce immigration laws, while opposition parties and rights groups have previously called for due process and careful verification in such cases.
