Guwahati, Sept 18: Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Thursday accused the Centre of failing to honour past promises on curbing illegal migration and raised serious concerns about border security in the wake of an AI-generated video posted by the Assam BJP.
Saikia recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his earlier visits to Assam, had assured action against illegal migration, including a pledge in 2014 that steps would be taken once the election results were declared. “The Assam Accord sets the cut-off date at March 24, 1971. Anyone who came after that, irrespective of caste or religion, must be sent back,” Saikia said, arguing that legal changes such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019 had undermined Assam’s special protections.
Warning that expanding citizenship on religious lines would erode the state’s culture and demography, Saikia added: “People of Assam — Hindu or Muslim — do not accept foreigners mixing into our social fabric. Foreigners are foreigners, whatever their religion.” He demanded clear assurances from the prime minister and greater accountability from the Home Ministry and border forces.
“If people are still entering Assam after those promises, who is failing? What are the BSF and other border police doing? If necessary, Amit Shah should be declared an unsuccessful minister,” Saikia said. He also accused the Assam Police of acting selectively, alleging a reluctance to register FIRs against provocative remarks made by ruling party leaders, while being quick to act in politically sensitive cases.
The Congress leader further noted that the party’s communication department and the Pradesh Congress Committee had already filed an FIR over the AI-generated video, calling it an unethical attempt to manipulate public sentiment.
The BJP, however, hit back strongly. Assam BJP vice-president Ratna Singh defended the AI clip, claiming it reflected the “reality” of demographic change in the state. Singh alleged that migrants from Bangladesh had gradually gained control over local markets and land, weakening Assam and the Northeast.
Singh also sought to draw a distinction between “original Assamese Muslims” and what she described as “insurgent Bangladeshi” elements. “If you consider yourself Indian, you will never allow the Northeast to become ‘MIA land’,” she said, blaming Congress for decades of misgovernance and failing to address the migration issue when in power.
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