12 Dec 2023 7:00 AM GMT
The Centre on Tuesday (12.12.2023) filed an affidavit furnishing the details on illegal immigrants and those who have been granted citizenship in light of S.6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
On December 7, the Court had directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to furnish data regarding the inflow of illegal migrants to Assam and North Eastern states after March 25, 1971 (post the declaration of Bangladesh independence) and to provide data-based disclosures under various heads including the grant of citizenship to immigrants in different time periods, workings of the Foreigners Tribunals established etc. A Constitution Bench passed the order while hearing petitions challenging Section 6A of the Citizenship Act.
The affidavit under the query on the total number of inflow of illegal immigrants in India, clearly states that the 'clandestine and surreptitious' manner of entry of these individuals makes it difficult for the government to ascertain any accuracy on data collection.
"Illegal migrants enter into the country without valid travel documents in a clandestine and surreptitious manner. The detection, detention and deportation of such illegally staying foreign nationals is a complex ongoing process. It is not possible to collect accurate data of such illegal migrants staying in various parts of the country," the affidavit said.
Mr. Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has furnished the required details on behalf of the Centre under the following queries :
The Government also said that 14,346 persons detected to be foreigners were deported between 2017 to 2022.
On the aspect of administrative steps which the Central Government has taken to deal with the issue of illegal immigration into the North-Eastern States, especially Assam, it was submitted that :
On the security and border fencing front, the Centre deposed the following measures:
The additional information on the status of fencing in West Bengal, states that Bengal shares 2216.7 Km of the border with Bangladesh, 78% of which is covered with a fence (feasible length). It was also highlighted in the affidavit that due to West Bengal's “Direct Land Purchase Policy” even for national security projects such as border fencing, considerable delays have occurred in the timely completion of fencing in West Bengal.