No info on deported people returning to Assam: govt

Assam government Monday informed the Assembly that it did not have any data whether any of the 29,800 "foreigners" deported to Bangladesh between 2016 and 2018 had returned to the state.

From May 2016, when the BJP led government came to power in the state, and August 2018, a total of 29,800 people were declared foreigners living in Assam illegally and were deported, minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.

He was replying on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who holds the Home portfolio, to starred questions of Ramendra Narayan Kalita of AGP and Nurul Huda of Congress.

Asked if those who had been deported to Bangladesh came back to Assam, the minister said there is no data immediately available on this matter.

Foreigners Tribunals have declared 1,03,764 people as foreigners living in Assam illegally between 1985 and August, 2018, he said.

To another query about granting Indian citizenship for those "foreigners", Patowary said granting of citizenship is in the purview of the central government.

There are 100 Foreigners Tribunals across Assam and Rs 147.84 crore has been spent between 2005-06 and 2017-18 fiscal for detection and deportation of foreigners, the minister said.

Patowary said 201.51 km of the 263 km Assam-Bangladesh border was sealed with barbed wire fencing and the remaining 61.49 km would be completed soon.

Replying to another question, he said as per the Supreme Court hearing on January 24, the date for publication of the final list of the National Register of Citizens is July 31.