Kharge attacks Amit Shah over infiltration rhetoric, cites low deportation numbers

Silchar, April 7: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday attacked the BJP, especially Union Home Minister Amit Shah, for regularly raising the infiltration issue but not deporting the illegal entrants in large numbers despite being in the government for more than 10 years.

Addressing an election rally at Borkhola in Cachar district, he also alleged that the BJP has misused the delimitation exercise in Assam in its bid to win elections.

“When Amit Shah comes here, he only talks about Bangladeshi infiltrators. But the BJP doesn’t drive these infiltrators out; they nurture them. It only plays politics in their name,” he said.

For 10 years, the BJP has been in power at the Centre and in Assam, but it could not remove the infiltrators, the Congress leader said. He claimed that during the Congress-led UPA government, 88,792 illegal migrants were deported from the country between 2005 and 2013.

“But under Narendra Modi’s rule, only 2,566 people were removed between 2014 and 2019. The BJP, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah just make electoral promises; they do nothing in reality,” the Congress chief alleged.

Kharge also slammed the BJP for allegedly misusing the delimitation exercise in Assam to win the elections. It was carried out in 2023.

During the delimitation exercise, Muslims were removed from areas where they had been in the majority, while other people were added, he alleged. “In areas where there were more Dalits and Adivasis, people from other classes were included,” he claimed.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also alleged that Modi has handed over thousands of acres of land in Assam to a corporate house in the name of greenfield projects. “The BJP government is selling off your lands, forests, water, mines and energy. Therefore, remember that to save the country, the BJP must be removed,” he added.

Kharge alleged that in the last 10 years, Barak Valley has been neglected and people’s problems have been ignored. “Indira Gandhi ji had called Silchar in Assam the ‘Island of Peace’, but today much has gone wrong here. Due to the government’s failure, students, workers and every class of people are troubled,” he added.

Floods come every year as a disaster in Assam, leaving destroyed houses, ruined crops and families destitute, the Congress president said, accusing the BJP government of finding no permanent solution to this problem.

“Roads submerged in water, a broken drainage system and severe traffic jams are not development for Silchar. BJP people make all sorts of promises for votes, but in reality, they do nothing,” he added.

Kharge also criticised Modi for allegedly not doing anything to enact the law for giving 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

“Modi slept for 30 months using the Bill as a pillow. Now that the elections have come, the government has remembered the matter of giving reservation to women. The Modi government wants to influence the elections with this issue,” he alleged.

Kharge also attacked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that he is working for money, land and power. “Himanta is buried in corruption. It is time to teach him a lesson. This is people’s fight against Himanta Biswa Sarma, because Assam’s land, water, forest, mines are being looted,” he added.

Without mentioning any name, the Congress chief raised Sarma’s wife allegedly possessing three foreign passports and owning assets abroad. “I heard that one woman has three passports. Golden passport, ordinary passport, VIP passport. From where have you got it? It must be revealed,” he added.

“No matter how much Narendra Modi and Himanta Biswa Sarma try to save their seats, they are now just guests in power for a few days,” Kharge asserted.

PTI