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Sanghavi defends govt’s anti-infiltrator drive, slams Congress for ‘vote-bank politics’
Addressing the Assembly during discussions on the budgetary demands of the Home, Jail, Law and Justice departments, he said, “The entire state is happy with this campaign, but some political parties are making a fuss about it due to vote-bank politics.”
Later, the Assembly approved the combined budgetary demands of the Home Department and the Law and Judiciary Department totalling ₹16,967 crore.
Highlighting the Gujarat government’s statewide drive to identify and deport illegal infiltrators, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Wednesday asserted that the campaign had received widespread public support, accusing Opposition parties of “politicising” the issue for vote-bank considerations.
Addressing the Assembly during discussions on the budgetary demands of the Home, Jail, Law and Justice departments, he said, “The entire state is happy with this campaign, but some political parties are making a fuss about it due to vote-bank politics.”
Referring to the ongoing drive against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that political groups were intervening whenever suspects were detained. According to him, those apprehended often admit to being Bangladeshi nationals, but protests are organised claiming they are Bengalis.
He also referred to demolition drives near Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad, where authorities allegedly found several houses rented or owned by suspected Bangladeshi nationals, some of whom possessed vehicles. Rejecting allegations by the Opposition that drug addiction among minors was increasing in the state, he urged political leaders to avoid statements that could tarnish Gujarat’s image. Providing details of enforcement under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), he noted that authorities had seized more than one lakh kilograms of narcotics worth over ₹14,000 crore and arrested 4,316 traffickers and peddlers.
Linking demolition drives with action against criminal networks, he said the government had reclaimed land worth ₹2,246 crore by removing illegal encroachments and acting against land mafias and anti-social elements. Referring to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, he added, “…. A historic achievement has been made by demolishing the highest land worth Rs 1,355 crores in Kutch and 3,010 sites in Gir Somnath…madrasas, yatimkhanas and kabristan were made on land reserved for public facilities. Now when illegal encroachments are demolished, be it Chandola in Ahmedabad or Jungleshwar in Rajkot, that had become hotbeds of crime, the citizens will get useful facilities and big urban development projects.’’
On counter-terrorism efforts, he informed the House that the Gujarat ATS had arrested 29 alleged extremists and terror suspects between 2023 and 2026.
He outlined a six-pillar strategy under the ‘BHARAT’ vision aimed at strengthening border, coastal and cyber security. He stated that a surveillance system will be deployed along the state’s 512-km international border with Pakistan and its 2,300-km coastline.
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Later, the Assembly approved the combined budgetary demands of the Home Department and the Law and Judiciary Department totalling ₹16,967 crore.
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