NEW DELHI, June 17: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday blacklisted six religious leaders and a singer from neighbouring Bangladesh for reportedly engaging in “objectionable activities” in Assam and elsewhere in the country.
The action from the Centre comes reportedly in the wake of Assam government moving the former against the seven Bangladeshi nationals, citing intelligence reports.
According to sources, the blacklisted Bangladeshi nationals have not only been directed by the MHA to leave the country immediately but their visas have also been cancelled for reportedly violating tourist visa rules.
The religious leaders had visited Assam a number of times, attended religious functions and also engaged in “preaching harmful things”, the sources informed.
The singer, identified as Munia Moon, had also violated the tourist visa rules, they added.
The Bangladeshi nationals have been also warned that they will be deported lest they fail to comply with the MHA directive.
It may be mentioned that any international tourist coming to India on a tourist visa cannot engage in religious and political programmes as well as business activities. A multipurpose visa is granted for such purposes.
It is pertinent to note that the action against Bangladeshi nationals comes against the backdrop of recent prevention of illegal infiltration bids in Meghalaya, which also shares its borders with Bangladesh.
On June 7, six Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended along with a duo from Jaintia Hills, viz. Dionitrios Khyriem and Merciful Suja, on the charges of illegal infiltration and abetment of the same respectively. The Bangladeshi nationals were found to be travelling without proper documents.
A similar incident was reported on June 16 when 11 Bangladeshi nationals were detained by East Jaintia Hills Police for illegally trespassing into the Indian territory. Two locals, identified as John Patwad and Jingieit Suting, were also detained for facilitating the same.
