Guwahati: Drawing parallels between Assam and West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Central government as well as the Assam government have been able to stop cross border infiltration to a large extent but West Bengal was not cooperating in dealing with the problem.
Addressing a public rally to mark the first anniversary of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led NDA government in Assam, Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to end the problem of infiltration but claimed ''Bengal is not cooperating with the centre''
"There have been illegal cross border infiltrations in Assam and West Bengal. It was our commitment to stop cross border infiltration. While we have been able to stop the illegal infiltration in Assam to a large extent due to peoples' support, we have failed to stop the infiltration in West Bengal due to lack of support," Shah said while addressing the rally.
Shah, who was on a two day visit to Assam since Monday, also visited Mankachar sector in the Indo-Bangladesh border on Monday and interacted with the BSF top brass as well as with the jawans. He was briefed about the steps taken to check the illegal infiltration from Bangladesh. The Home Minister assured the BSF officials all possible support to plug the infiltration completely.
He also took credit for being able to remove the Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in several areas of Assam after 30 years of its imposition and blamed the erstwhile Congress governments in the state for extending the infamous act. "Earlier special powers were given to the Army (under AFSPA) but now special powers were given to the youths of the state for initiating development," Shah added. "AFSPA is no longer required in Assam as there is no need for it now," Shah said.
He said that during the last six years of BJP rule, bandhs, blockades, and violence have seen a substantial reduction in Assam. The state government had not only taken strong action against drug peddling, but also brought over 9,000 members of insurgent outfits to the national mainstream in the last six years, he said. "It is during the tenure of the BJP government in Assam that cattle smuggling has stopped," he said.
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