Only 39 Bangladeshi nationals, who had entered Assam illegally, were deported in the last two years, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday.
The minister of state for home also said in the Lok Sabha that Bangladesh has recently verified the nationality and issued travel documents for deportation of 53 Bangladeshi nationals, including one minor, who are in various detention camps in Assam.
"As per information available, 39 Bangladeshi nationals were deported from detention camps in Assam during the last two years, 2016 and 2017, after following the due process of law," he said in a written reply.
Rijiju said the Assam government has been advised to take necessary action to deport these Bangladeshi nationals as soon as possible. Deporting them is within the powers of the state government, he said.
The minister said deportation of foreigners staying illegally in India, including Bangladeshi nationals, is a continuous process and the central government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national under Section 3(2)(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
These powers to identify and deport illegally staying foreign nationals have also been delegated to state governments and union territory administrations, and the Bureau of Immigration, he said.
Replying to a separate question, Rijiju said illegal migrants enter into the country without valid travel documents in a clandestine and surreptitious manner.
"Therefore, it is not possible to have an accurate estimate of such illegal migrants, including Bangladeshi immigrants, living in the country. Certain instances of some illegal immigrants having obtained identity cards fraudulently have been reported," he said.
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