Police picked up scores of people across Assam over the weekend, with officials saying it was being done “to verify their documentation”.
At least 50 people were picked up over Saturday and Sunday from locations in districts such as , Golaghat, Dhubri, Barpeta and Cachar. Neither the police nor the state government have issued any official information on the nature of the drive.
A senior police officer said the drive was meant for “verification”.
With a large number of those picked up being Bengali-origin Muslims, the drive has spread panic among many in the community. The action comes close on the heels of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs setting a 30-day deadline earlier this month for states and Union Territories to verify the credentials of persons suspected to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar who claim to be Indian citizens. had reported that if their documents are not verified, the ministry has ordered that they be deported after 30 days.
The All Assam Minority Students’ Union has reacted sharply to the drive, calling it harassment.
“In Assam, we have due process to identify foreigners. There is the border police, the foreigners’ tribunals (FTs), and people can appeal against FT decisions in the High Court and Supreme Court. But this is an attempt to create an atmosphere of terror. If they are indeed Bangladeshis, make an agreement with Bangladesh and deport them. (Don’t do it) this way,” said AAMSU president Rejaul Karim Sarkar.
