As Tripura CM Saha lists steps taken against illegal immigrants, TIPRA Motha MLA calls for inner-line permit system

Tripura is not a safe haven for illegal immigrants anymore, Chief Minister Manik Saha said in the Assembly on Tuesday, even as an MLA from the ruling BJP’s ally TIPRA Motha suggested introducing an inner-line permit (ILP) system in the state to stop illegal immigration.

For his part, Saha said that 3,518 foreigners, including 3,316 from Bangladesh, had been detained, and 2,739 foreigners—2,607 from Bangladesh and 132 from Myanmar—had been pushed back from the state between 2022 and August 31 this year.

Saha was replying to a calling-attention notice moved by TIPRA Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma on the last day of the Assembly session. He stated that after the political unrest in Bangladesh after August 5 last year, he convened a meeting of the chief secretary, director-general of police, and other high officials of agencies concerned to discuss the prevention of infiltration of foreign nationals by adopting strict measures.

“We all discussed all information with us to avoid failure of coordination to curb illegal immigration along the 856-km-long India-Bangladesh border,” he said.

Saha stated that the state is surrounded on three sides by Bangladesh and that fencing had been done in many parts, but some parts are still unfenced due to culverts and other terrain-related issues. He added that he had raised the issue at the 22nd plenary session of the Northeast Council.

“Work is going on to prevent illegal immigration from Bangladesh and other nations and push them back as per the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) direction. We formed special task forces (STFs) headed by the additional superintendents of police or deputy superintendents of police in all districts. As many as 130 police personnel join these teams, and they work in coordination with the Border Security Force. We have also posted an official of SP rank in these STFs to prevent extremist activities, international crime, human trafficking, and other border crimes. They are arrested and they face action as per law,” he said.

Saha stated that he interacted with officials of all levels and agencies to prevent the use of fake identity cards and that such interactions are held every fortnight with district magistrates and superintendents of police in the virtual mode.

Ranjit Debbarma, however, stated that Tripura is facing illegal immigration in a massive way and that national security and sovereignty are at risk, especially after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The ruling MLA alleged that even after the MHA issued a notification again on May 19 to identify and deport illegal immigrants to their countries and instructed state governments to open detention camps in all the districts, the directions were not actually implemented.

Debbarma claimed that despite having three-layer security, Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in different parts of the state. “If our border security is so tough, how are they entering? If we had to bring all the documents, we would need sackloads of papers. People are nabbing illegal immigrants, not the police,” he said.

Debbarma further stated that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had taken strict action against illegal immigrants.

BJP leader and Scheduled Castes Welfare Minister Sudhangshu Das cited the Citizenship Amendment Act and said the law would support those who came to India due to religious persecution in Bangladesh and other countries.

TIPRA Motha minister Animesh Debbarma then suggested that the issues of refugees and illegal immigrants need not be mixed up. “Ranjit Debbarma is concerned about illegal immigrants. Since CAA does not apply to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), infiltration happens there… The state government needs to form an STF since no one can stay in the ADC areas.”

The TIPRA Motha minister further said that 68 per cent of the state is under TTAADC. “The CAA has not been stayed by the Supreme Court. December 31, 2025, is now the new deadline. Except for persecuted minorities (from neighbouring countries), we have to separate these people (illegal immigrants)”,he said.

Sukla Charan Noatia, the lone minister of the other BJP ally, IPFT, said that illegal immigration was rampant during the Left Front era.

“The CM has taken a lot of initiatives to stop these. We have to think about the history of Tripura. If Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi had not merged Tripura with India, it would have been in Pakistan today,” he said.

Saha said that while Illegal immigration is a serious issue, the state has a duty to protect all citizens.