BJP says no Bangladeshi infiltration as state tackles citizenship bill row

After making the issue of illegal infiltration a major poll plank in the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 assembly elections in Assam, the ruling BJP Thursday claimed no Bangladeshi national has illegally entered into India in the last 10 years.

BJP spokespersons claimed at a press conference here that the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will not bring in any new foreigner into India.

"No infiltration is happening at this moment. Illegal migration happened only earlier.

"We can say that in the last 10 years, no infiltration took place from Bangladesh," BJP spokesperson Swapnanil Barua said.

Bangladeshis are not migrating to India because of economic reasons as they now go to Europe, Gulf or other developed regions, he said.

"In Europe or Gulf, they get a minimum wage of around Rs 3,000 per day. In India, they can earn a maximum of Rs 1,000. So, why should they come here," he asked.

Another spokesperson Mominul Awal said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, if passed, will not bring any new Hindu Bangladeshi into India.

"There is no scope or provision to give citizenship to new people. It is only for those people who are already living here.

Only they will get a scope to apply and the DC concerned will verify their applications," he added.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed by Lok Sabha two days ago, seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims, who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.