Guwahati, Oct 31: After the detention and deportation of seven foreign nationals, the Assam government has directed all its district superintendents of police (SPs) to keep an eye out for foreigners who are indulging in religious preaching while breaking tourist visa rules.

The order came after the detention and deportation of 27 foreign nationals — 17 Bangladeshis and 10 Europeans — from three districts in Assam in just a month’s time.

All the foreigners were on a tourist visa, not a missionary visa, which allowed very limited religious activity.

Speaking to the media, Assam Special DGP GP Singh said, “We have directed all the SPs of their respective districts that anywhere, irrespective of religion, if there is any preaching or congregation of foreigners, we have to keep a watch.”

“As per rules of the country anybody who wants to come to the country for religious preaching has to take the missionary (M1) visa, so if they are coming on a tourist visa and indulging in religious practices, (it) is unlawful,” Singh added.

Singh further added that there is a difference and there are types of activities that people can indulge in even while coming on a missionary visa and one of the things is activities related to conversion which are explicitly banned in all kinds of visas including missionary visas.

The top cop has also warned that if anyone with missionary visas also indulges in religious conversions, lawful action will be taken.

Meanwhile, in all cases, the state police have also written to the competent authorities under the Government of India through the special branch to blacklist such people and such organisations from future issuance of visas.