39 people in Assam applied under CAA, 2 granted citizenship: Minister

Guwahati, Mar 10 (PTI) A total of 39 people living in Assam have so far submitted applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), and two of them were granted Indian citizenship, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the assembly on Monday.

He said infiltration bids from Bangladesh were being foiled by the security forces deployed at the international border, though challenges in certain areas are yet to be addressed completely.

Patowary was replying on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, to a question by MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha.

He said that since the implementation of CAA, 39 people residing in Assam have applied for citizenship under it.

"Out of these, two have been granted citizenship and 18 applications are under consideration. Though the remaining 19 have been 'closed', the applicants have the provision for re-applying," Patowary said.

Asked about Aadhar enrollment in the state, he said the saturation status was at 96.97 per cent till January this year.

"All the districts have facilities for Aadhar enrolment and it is a continuous process," he said.

Purkayastha, a Congress MLA who now supports the BJP-led state government, further questioned the government on infiltration attempts continuing in the state, while another Congress legislator, Jakir Hussain Sikdar, wanted to know whether there were any loopholes in border security and the possibility of involvement of government officials in these influx bids.

Responding to them, Patowary said no official or agency is involved in any manner with the infiltration bids.

He said 156 Bangladeshis were captured while trying to enter Assam illegally from 2021 to 2024. Of these, 51 were held in 2021, 57 in 2022, 22 in 2023 and 26 in 2024.

Patowary said barbed wire fencing is there along the Bangladesh border, with BSF guarding the boundary and Assam Police acting as the second line of defence.

However, challenges in some border lines, like the river border in Sribhumi district, are there and the government is looking into use of scientific means to seal these parts effectively, he said. PTI SSG SSG SOM