Will not allow India to be safe destination for illegal infiltrators: Shah

The Modi government will not allow India to be a "safe destination" for infiltrators, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday, asserting that it has started efforts to identify the Rohingya people living illegally in the country and will make arrangements for their deportation.

The party's national executive passed Shah's statement, which speaks of illegal immigrants in Assam and other states, on the issue of the National Register of Citizens exercise in the northeastern state.

He said the NRC process in Assam is necessary for India's safety and for preserving the state's economic, cultural and political rights.

Lashing out at opposition parties for their criticism of the BJP on the issue, he said when in power they had accepted that crores of illegal immigrants have been living in Assam and other states and that they understand the seriousness of this problem.

No country in the world allows infiltrators to live on its land but opposition parties did not show courage to stand to protect the rights of the people of Assam and the country due to their "vote bank politics", he said.

"They are seen today to be standing with illegal infiltrators," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party has made it clear that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not allow India to be a safe destination for illegal infiltrators, his statement said.

"Every infiltrator will be identified and they will be deported after being stripped of their citizenship. The government has started a process to identify Rohingyas in many cities of the country. Appropriate arrangements will be made for their deportation," Shah said.

He also reiterated his party's support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, saying minorities such as Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Christians living in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan should be given shelter in India if they are persecuted.

Infiltration into Assam had begun before Independence and continued afterwards, the BJP chief said, adding that it continued because various governments did not have the will to tackle the challenge.

A historic agitation went on between 1979-85 against it and the BJP had supported their demands since its inception in 1980, he said.

The Modi government is committed to preserve the interests of the people of Assam and will ensure that no Indian citizen loses his or her citizenship.