Assam grants citizenship to 6 persons under CAA, identifies 1.7 lakh foreigners, border fencing issues with Bangladesh

Guwahati: Around 70 persons have applied for Indian citizenship in the State so far under the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act, and six of them have been granted citizenship.

In a written reply to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also in charge of the home and political department, during the Question Hour in the Assam Legislative Assembly on Monday in response to a query by AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury said that around 1,72,673 foreigners have been identified in the State so far under the provisions of the Assam Accord.

Sarma added that a total of 31,789 foreigners have been expelled from the State till and cases with regard to another 73,759 are going on in the foreigners' tribunals.


He said that 174 identified foreigners have been lodged at the Matia transit camp in Goalpara district. Till November last year, only three persons had been granted citizenship against around 40 applications

The Assam government said that no fencing could be erected along 4.35 kilometres of the state's boundary with Bangladesh due to objections by the border guards of Bangladesh.

There is also no fencing in 34.609 km as that part falls in rivers, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora said.

In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury, Bora said that barbed wire fencing in 228.541 km has been completed out of a total 267.5 km of the India-Bangladesh border spread across Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Cachar and Sribhumi districts.

"Fencing work for 4.35 km of border could not be carried out due to objections by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Indian citizens live there on the bank of the Kushiyara river in Sribhumi district," he added.

Besides, there is no fencing in 34.609 km as this portion falls in rivers, of which 30.37 km is in Dhubri and 4.239 km is in South Salmara-Mankachar, Bora said.