Assam: Himanta Sarma introduces new aadhaar card rules to address illegal immigration

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma introduced a new requirement for those applying for Aadhaar cards in the state, on Saturday. Moving forward, all new applicants must provide their National Register of Citizens (NRC) application receipt number. This measure aims to address concerns over an unusually high number of Aadhaar applications, which Sarma suggested might indicate a presence of doubtful or potentially illegal citizens.

“Applications for Aadhaar cards are exceeding the state’s population figures. This discrepancy points to possible issues with illegal immigrants,” Sarma stated. He emphasized that this new requirement would help the state government in verifying applicants more effectively and in curbing the influx of illegal foreigners.

Stringent measures to combat illegal immigration

The Chief Minister underscored that obtaining an Aadhaar card in Assam would now be more challenging. The government plans to adopt a strict approach to issuing these cards to ensure that only eligible residents receive them. However, Sarma clarified that individuals who had their biometrics locked during the NRC process would not be affected by this new requirement. Approximately 9.55 lakh people in this category will still be eligible to receive their Aadhaar cards without the NRC receipt number.

Increased focus on identifying illegal foreigners

In addition to the Aadhaar card changes, Sarma announced that his government would intensify efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants. He noted that 20-30 Bangladeshis had been apprehended in recent months and subsequently handed over to their home country's authorities.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "The detection process of foreigners was almost stopped after the updation process of NRC. In the last few months, we have arrested or pushed back 20-30 Bangladeshis. Today we have ordered to intensify the detection of illegal immigrants in… pic.twitter.com/jZltKpyxRu

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2024

Concerns over demographic changes in Assam

Chief Minister Sarma has previously raised alarms about what he describes as ‘demographic changes’ in Assam. On August 28, he promised to release a comprehensive white paper detailing the growing Muslim population in areas traditionally dominated by Hindus. Despite the peaceful coexistence of communities, Sarma expressed concerns about shifts in demographic trends.

Addressing recent comments, Sarma reiterated his commitment to prevent what he referred to as the "takeover" of Assam by "Miya" Muslims, a term he uses to describe certain Muslim groups from Lower Assam. “We will not allow people from Lower Assam to migrate to Upper Assam and take over the region,” Sarma asserted.