MHA: FTs in Assam declared 1.43 lakh as foreigners, deported 329

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha today that till last year the FTs (Foreigners Tribunals) in Assam had declared 1.43 lakh people as foreigners. However, the government deported only 329 of them till February 1, 2022.

Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai informed Rajya Sabha that 100 FTs are functioning in Assam. "Till December 31, 2021, the FTs declared 1,43,466 people in Assam as foreigners and 1,21,598 people as Indians. The FTs still have 1,23,829 cases pending with them," he said. He added: "So far, the State Government deported 329 declared foreigners to their countries of origin as of February 2, 2022."

The Union minister also informed the House that the MHA had allocated Rs 69 crore for the functioning of FTs in Assam from the financial year 2019-20 to 2021-22.

According to sources, the government could deport only 329 of the 1.43 lakh declared foreigners, spending crores of rupees. Deportation continues to pose a big question as India and Bangladesh do not have any extradition treaty. It makes the deportation of foreigners to Bangladesh a lengthy process. It makes circles concerned in the state ponder over the 'costly detection and declaration of foreigners in the state'.

The practice followed is: the police pick up the declared foreigners (if they can trace them) and keep them in detention centres. The authorities in the state then send the Bangladesh addresses of the detained foreigners to the Union Ministry of External Affairs that sends them to their Bangladesh counterparts. In most cases, the authorities in the neighbouring country say that Bangladesh had no such people with the names and addresses given to them. It makes the deportation of a large number of declared foreigners impossible.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India has a standing order stating that the authorities cannot detain declared foreigners for more than three years in detention centres. It makes the government release such foreigners from detention under certain conditions.

According to the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order, 1964, the FTs should give their opinions stating whether a person is a foreigner. However, many FT members have passed consequential orders while rendering their opinions. In September last, the State Political Department had to caution the FT members not to issue orders while giving their opinion. The High Court set aside many FT orders that had declared people as foreigners.

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