SHILLONG: Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF) (Meghalaya Frontier), Kuldeep Saini, on Friday said that Bangladeshis who had illegally crossed over to India now intend to go back.
Replying to queries on the fallout of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) amid apprehension of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh coming to India, especially to Meghalaya, he, however, said that on the contrary Bangladeshis already in India are now leaving. “The report we are getting is the other way round. Because of fear, people from Bangladesh who were illegally residing in India, are going back to Bangladesh and they were apprehended there”, he said.
He said that the people are not from Meghalaya and that they stayed in Bangalore.
It may be mentioned that there were concerns of illegal immigration from Bangladesh following CAA.
Saini observed that to tackle illegal immigration, the local population will have to be vigilant besides the watchful eyes of the BSF in the border areas.
Commenting on the shortage of manpower, Saini said there is a yardstick for the establishment of Border Outpost (BoP) and there are 125 BoPs in the border areas and there is no plan currently to establish any more.
Saini said, “Generally 3- 3.5 km area is given to a particular BoP and we already have 125 BoPs on the border. Right now we have no plan to establish more BoPs, but depending on the situation, the government may take a call.”
He admitted there are difficulties due to shortage of manpower but maintained that the BSF personnel will have to perform their duty for longer duration.
