In a pointed attack on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Home Minister Amit Shah has held Trinamool Congress government responsible for the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. In Parliament, while speaking on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, Shah alleged that infiltrators from Bangladesh enter West Bengal, get their Aadhar card and Voter I-card made, and then go to Delhi and other cities of India. Amit Shah said, India is not a ‘dharmshala’ where anybody can enter. “75 per cent of fencing of India-Bangladesh border is complete, but work on the remaining 25 per cent is not progressing because West Bengal government is not providing land for constructing the fence”, Shah alleged. Shah also attacked Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin on the issue of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. Shah said, the Centre is following the same policy that was being pursued by the previous UPA government. The question is not about Tamil refugees or Bangladeshi infiltrators. Illegal immigration has now become a global issue. US President Donald Trump had made it a big issue in the presidential election and now his administration is deporting all illegal immigrants from America. In India, laws against illegal immigrants were made before Independence and they are still in force. Matters relating to foreigners and immigration are presently administered through four legislations: Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000. All these old laws are now sought to be repealed through this Bill. If this Bill is enacted, it will be difficult for any foreigner to settle in India illegally. The new law will make it easier to deport illegal migrants and naturally, Mamata Banerjee will not be happy. The punishment proposed is severe. Illegal migrants will have to undergo imprisonment up to two years and this may extend to seven years. They may have to pay fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakhs.
