Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused the opposition of damaging Assam’s “jati, mati and bheti” — community, land and cultural foundation — by allegedly allowing infiltration during its years in power. | X @AmitShah
Guwahati, February 21: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday accused the opposition of damaging Assam’s “jati, mati and bheti” — community, land and cultural foundation — by allegedly allowing infiltration during its years in power. Foundation Stone Laid at KachutoliShah was speaking after laying the foundation stone of the headquarters of the 10th Battalion of Assam Police at Kachutoli on the outskirts of Guwahati. The event was attended by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other senior officials.Addressing the gathering, Shah alleged that during the opposition’s rule, infiltrators entered Assam and encroached upon fertile land, threatening the state’s demographic balance and cultural identity. He claimed that 174 bighas of land at Kachutoli had been freed from encroachment by the present state government and that the police battalion headquarters is being built on the reclaimed land.
“The land that once posed a security challenge will now house a force that strengthens Assam’s security,” Shah said.
State-of-the-Art Infrastructure PlannedThe proposed headquarters, spread across 124 bighas, will include residential and operational infrastructure, barracks for 750 male and 450 female personnel, a small hospital, training facilities, a firing range, a modern surveillance centre and a sports complex for Assam Police.Shah alleged that several districts including Dhubri, Barpeta, Morigaon, Darrang, Bongaigaon and Nagaon had become “infiltrator-dominated” during the previous regime. He said the present government has freed nearly 1.45 lakh bighas of land from alleged encroachers and provided over 1.4 lakh government jobs without corruption.Pledge to Deport Every InfiltratorHe asserted that if returned to power for another term, his party would identify and deport every infiltrator from the country and remove their names from electoral rolls. Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise by the Election Commission, Shah said it would help identify infiltrators, while alleging that the opposition was opposing the move for political reasons.The Home Minister also criticised the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act of 1983, claiming it had facilitated infiltration and weakened Assam’s security.On the development front, Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with promoting Assam’s culture and heritage. He said that national recognition of historical figures like Lachit Borphukan had grown significantly in recent years. He also noted that the Bharat Ratna had been conferred upon Bhupen Hazarika, and that several prominent personalities from Assam had received Padma awards. Development Initiatives HighlightedShah further highlighted development initiatives, including land rights for 2.5 lakh landless indigenous people, support for self-help groups and tea garden workers, and the establishment of a semiconductor plant worth ₹27,000 crore in the state. He said Assam is on track to become the industrial hub of eastern and northeastern India in the coming years.
Recalling past security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir, Left-Wing Extremism-affected regions and the Northeast, Shah said significant progress has been made in restoring peace. He reiterated that just as the country is moving towards eliminating Naxalism, it will also be freed from infiltration.Calling for continued political support, Shah said a stable government was essential to build an Assam free from insurgency, poverty, unemployment and floods, and to safeguard its culture and identity.