4,800 Sent Across the Border, 836 More Awaiting Deportation: Suvendu

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that 4,800 individuals detained in holding centers have already been pushed back across the border, with another 836 currently awaiting deportation.

The Chief Minister made the remarks on Sunday (June 7) while participating in the 'Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Shikshan Maha Abhiyan' program organized in Kolkata.

"We have systematically initiated the deportation of infiltrators who do not qualify under the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act)," Chief Minister Suvendu said. "There was an existing Government of India law regarding this issue, which stipulates that instead of sending them to jail, they should be handed over directly to the BSF (Border Security Force). However, this was never implemented in this state. Now, holding centers have been set up in the state's border districts for them. From there, 4,800 citizens have been sent across to the other side so far. Currently, 836 people remain in the holding centers. We are arranging to send them over as well, after providing them with food and clothing."

Border Fencing and Demographics
Regarding the construction of border fencing, Suvendu stated, "We have commenced the land transfer process to the BSF. There is a 556-kilometer unfenced border with Bangladesh. Out of this, 100 kilometers of land have already been handed over for the construction of barbed-wire fencing, with priority given to the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck)."

The Chief Minister opined, "We are executing this work on a priority basis; otherwise, the nation's security would have been compromised. Moreover, the demographics of Bengal were altered long ago."

Strict Stance on Infiltration
The new government in West Bengal has taken a hardline stance on illegal infiltration. Suspected infiltrators are first placed in holding centers before being handed over to the BSF to be sent back to Bangladesh.

However, neither the BSF nor the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has officially acknowledged these repatriations so far.