Assam: 28 Bengali-speakers declared foreigners; families split on status

As many as 28 Bengali-speaking Muslims were deported to a detention center located at Matia in Goalpara district by the Assam police after they were declared ‘non citizens’ by the Foreigners’ Tribunal (FT).

The transit happened on Monday, September 2. There were 28 people – 19 men and nine women.

According to Maktoob Media, they were summoned by Barpeta superintendent of police office where they were declared ‘foreigners’ and herded into a bus and sent to the detention camp. Family members bid a tearful goodbye as some members of the same family were declared foreigners while some were not.

A video of the incident was shared extensively on social media platforms.

Established under the Foreigners’ (Tribunal) Order of 1964, the FTs are quasi-judicial bodies headed by members to adjudicate cases of individuals suspected to be ‘foreigners’. It is headed by the border wing of the Assam police who detect suspected ‘foreigners’ and refer them to foreigners’ tribunal (FTs).

Assam has 100 FTs to deal with the cases of ‘D (doubtful) voters’ and ‘foreigners’ living in the state ‘illegally’, Maktoob Media reported.

This can happen everywhere: Owaisi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi reacted to the viral video pointing at the complications if the NPR-NRC is implemented nationwide stating such scenes will become a common sight.

“If NPR-NRC happens along with Census this year, these scenes of Muslims could be seen everywhere in the nation. This is why various states, including Telangana, have opposed holding NPR-NRC along with the Census,” said