Himanta Biswa Sarma: 1.25 crore Bangladeshis infiltrated Assam in last 40 years

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on May 15, expressed deep concern over the persistent issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh into the state. Addressing a gathering in Jharkhand, Sarma highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasising that this challenge has been ongoing for four decades.

"When infiltration from Bangladesh started 40 years ago, Congress was the ruling party. They did not realise what the outcome of this infiltration would be 40 years later. Today, the number of infiltrators from Bangladesh in Assam is 1.25 crore. This issue cannot be resolved with a mere statement. It has become a serious problem, and the Assamese people have lost their identity. That's why I am asking the people of Jharkhand not to make the same mistake as Assam and West Bengal. Do not let Rohingyas infiltrate your state," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for concrete action rather than mere rhetoric to tackle this complex issue. He cautioned against repeating the mistakes of the past and urged stakeholders to take proactive measures to safeguard the state's security and integrity. 

CM Sarma also highlighted concerns about the diminishing presence of temples and alleged instances of Hindu women falling victim to what he referred to as "love jihad."

The chief minister emphasised the need for safeguarding Hindu heritage sites and ensuring the protection of Hindu communities in Assam. He pointed to financial contributions received from individuals like Alamgir Alam, raising questions about the potential threats faced by Hindus in the region.

For the unversed, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended Jharkhand Rural Development Minister Alamgir Alam, a prominent Congress leader, in connection with a money laundering case on Wednesday, May 15.

According to official sources, the 70-year-old minister was arrested at the agency's zonal office in Ranchi under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following an exhaustive six-hour interrogation session on the second consecutive day of questioning.

Alam had undergone extensive questioning by the federal agency the previous day, lasting over nine hours, during which his statement was recorded. The arrest of Alam comes on the heels of the agency's earlier detention of his personal secretary, Sanjeev Kumar Lal (52), and Lal's domestic aide, Jahangir Alam (42). The ED's action followed the discovery of a substantial amount of over Rs 32 crore in cash from a flat associated with the duo.

The ongoing money laundering probe revolves around allegations of irregularities and the purported payment of "bribes" within the state's rural development department. In seeking the remand of the two individuals previously arrested, the ED informed a special PMLA court in Ranchi that Lal had been collecting "commission" on behalf of influential figures, implicating government officials across various levels within the rural department in an alleged nexus of illicit cash transactions.