Kokrajhar (Assam) [India], July 8 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday strongly defended the ongoing eviction drive in parts of the state, reiterating the government's commitment to removing what he termed as 'illegal Bangladeshis'.

Interacting with media in Kokrajhar, CM Sarma said, 'Some people from Karimganj, Dhubri, Chappar, and Silchar are going and settling in Lakhimpur. They have been evicted to protect the freedom and land rights of the local people of Lakhimpur.'

He further stated that the BJP government's eviction campaign will not be halted under political pressure. 'If anyone has a problem with the removal of 350 illegal Bangladeshis, they will have to bear it. Many people have been martyred in the past in the fight to drive Bangladeshis,' Sarma said.

The Chief Minister also accused opposition leaders of politicising the issue. 'Now they are doing politics in the name of this girl to provide security to Bangladeshis. Their objective is to stop the BJP's eviction campaign, but the BJP has gone ahead with it,' he added.

Sarma emphasized that the campaign will continue in other parts of the state, including Dhubri. 'It will happen tomorrow in Dhubri's Chappar. No outsider should be allowed to enter Bodoland,' he declared.

Earlier on July 5, CM Sarma informed that 18 Bangladeshis, living without valid documents in Assam, were pushed back. He said the pushbacks were done from the Cachar and Sribhumi districts.

'Oh look who's going back to their home? In Assam, we welcome guests with open arms but those trying to illegally prolong their stay are treated with the special gesture of PUSHBACK,' Sarma said in a post on X.

'18 illegal Bangladeshis pushed back today in wee hours from Cachar and Sribhumi,' he added. (ANI)