Assam To Introduce Strict Rule For Issuing Aadhaar Card To Adult Citizens
Assam CM claiming 20 more Bangladeshi nationals pushed back
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma here on Friday said that his government has decided to introduce a strict rule for issuing Aadhaar cards to adult citizens in Assam to check the influx of Bangladeshi nationals in the state more effectively.
Asserting that his government was committed to drive out illegal migrants, the chief minister told reporters that his government has pushed back a new lot of 20 Bangladeshi nationals on Thursday.
Informing that it is largely adults who are found to have been entering Assam illegally from Bangladesh and procure an Aadhaar card to prolong their stay in the state, the chief minister said, “We have already completed the process of issuing Aadhaar card to our existing adult citizens. The cabinet was of the view that the state should now streamline and strengthen the rule of issuing Aadhaar cards to adult citizens in the state to check its misuse.”
He said that his government was considering a proposal to name the deputy commissioner as the only authority to issue Aadhaar cards to adult citizens in Assam.
Indicating that his government would introduce changes in the next cabinet meeting. It is significant that Mr Sarma recently announced that all new applicants for Aadhaar cards in Assam must submit their National Register of Citizens (NRC) application receipt number (ARN).
Pointing out that this will "stop the influx of illegal foreigners" and the state govt will be "very strict" in issuing Aadhaar cards, the chief minister reiterated, "It will not be easy to get Aadhaar in Assam."
Meanwhile, the chief minister on Friday alleged that the previous Congress government's appeasement of illegal immigrants led to massive encroachment of over 13,000 bighas (more than 4,300 acres) of 'Satra' (Vaishnavite monastery) land in the state.
He asserted the BJP-led ruling dispensation's commitment to reclaim the land for these Vaishnavite monasteries.
"The Congress Govt ignored sentiments of the indigenous people while pandering to their illegal immigrant vote bank, which led to 922 Satra lands being encroached upon," said Mr Sarma in a social media post.
He said thousands of bighas of Satra land have been encroached across major centres, including 7,137 bighas (2,355.21 acres) in Barpeta, 2,583.79 bighas (852.66 acres) in Nagaon, 2,757.39 bighas 909.94 acres) in Bajali and 896.76 bighas (295.94 acres) in Lakhimpur. "We are on a mission to reclaim them," the chief minister asserted.