Himanta Biswa Sarma says 24 Bangladeshis were sent back from Cachar, vowing to continue the crackdown. Critics question the government’s hardline approach

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that 24 Bangladeshi nationals detained in Cachar district were sent back across the border. Declaring his government’s commitment to an “infiltration-free Assam,” he vowed that the state would continue identifying and deporting those entering illegally. Sarma even resorted to theatrics online, tweaking a popular Hindi song to tell the migrants to “return home.”

According to the Chief Minister, nearly 500 individuals have already been pushed back in recent months, with state police and the Border Security Force stepping up surveillance along the 188-km Assam-Bangladesh border. He claimed that every week, around 35–40 people are sent back.

While the government frames this as a defense of sovereignty, critics argue that such public displays reduce a sensitive humanitarian issue into political theatre. Deportations without addressing root causes—such as poverty, displacement, and lack of legal frameworks—risk worsening tensions in border communities. For locals in Assam, the larger concern remains whether such aggressive drives actually improve security or simply fuel fear and division.

Analysis 
Instead of one-sided crackdowns, balanced measures—strengthening border systems, offering legal clarity, and engaging diplomatically—would better serve both Assam’s security and human dignity. Turning deportations into catchy slogans may win applause, but it won’t solve long-term challenges.