"Alarming": Himanta Biswa Sarma On Rohingya Infiltration

Infiltration by Rohingyas from Bangladesh through Assam's Karimganj district is 'alarming' and a threat to national security, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

There is a network of brokers who bring the Rohingyas into Tripura, from there to Karimganj in Assam and then the rest of the country, the chief minister said while addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the two-day conference of superintendents of police in Bongaigaon.

''Five police teams from Assam are currently in Tripura and working with the state government to act against the brokers,'' he said.

The situation is alarming and anyone entering the country illegally without valid papers is a threat to the security of the country, Mr Sarma added.

''We have already informed the Centre and sought help from central agencies along with the cooperation of the Tripura government'', he added.

The Rohingyas do not stay in Assam but move to other parts of the country, he added.

''We, however, adopted the strategy to push them back and not arrest them as they will then take bail and try to become citizens of the country'', Mr Sarma said.

In his address to the SPs on Friday, the chief minister had said that Assam is now being used as a corridor by the Rohingyas to go to Delhi or Kashmir and the DGP has already taken some steps in this direction while the Karimganj SP has been asked to step up vigil along with necessary measures to stop infiltration.

All the three districts in Barak Valley must remain active and proactive steps must be taken to prevent Rohingya infiltrators, smugglers and insurgents from using the state as a corridor for transit to other states, he said.

He also called for increasing intelligence in all railway stations from Barak Valley to the western border of Assam, so that the Rohingyas are intercepted and decisive action is taken against them.

Referring to the banned ULFA (Independent), the chief minister said the doors for talks is always open for the outfit.

When ULFA(I) chief Paresh Barua had left the country more than three decades ago to launch the movement, the situation was very different, he said.

''We were all very angry then as we had to agitate for everything that the state needed as the then government did nothing for us. The situation is very different now as we are getting so many projects even without asking. If Barua comes and stays in Assam for seven days now, he will realise the change'', Mr Sarma added.

Asked about the Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), the chief minister said the issue was not discussed at the convention as it was being coordinated with the central agencies.

''Assam is a potential place for their modules which we are neutralising from time to time and will continue to do so'', he added.

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