Rohingya infiltration into India has increased manifold: Assam CM Himanta

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that Rohingya infiltration into India has significantly increased, and the threat of demographic invasion is both real and serious.

''Rohingyas are continuously coming into India using the India-Bangladesh border and many states are suffering from the demographic invasion'', Sarma said at a press conference here.

Assam is guarding only a part of the Indo-Bangladesh border but a large area is still porous, he added.

The West Bengal and Jharkhand governments are soft on these infiltrators and have taken no action to stop it, he alleged.

''In fact, West Bengal's Chief Minister gave a statement that the state will give shelter to those coming from Bangladesh which even the government of the neighbouring country has not endorsed'', Sarma said.

Assam and Tripura governments have taken strong steps in this matter with police in both the states arresting several Rohingya infiltrators on several occasions, he said.

''Assam is no longer a safe haven for Rohingyas as we do not follow a soft policy. Our situation is better than West Bengal and Jharkhand and has not worsened since the BJP government has come to power'', the Chief Minister added.