West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has claimed that 10,000 people have been pushed into Bangladesh from temporary shelters in various border districts. He also stated that the process of sending another 1,800 people back to Bangladesh is underway. Adhikari made the remarks on Tuesday, June 23, during the state assembly’s budget session while responding to opposition leader Ritabrata Banerjee.

Adhikari said that the state government is enforcing Indian laws and clarified that those being sent back are illegal entrants, not Indian citizens. He emphasized that government funds should not be used to provide food, clothing, or medicine for illegal immigrants. The Chief Minister further indicated that the state’s policy is to hand over such individuals directly to central agencies like the Border Security Force (BSF) instead of detaining them in state jails.

Highlighting border security measures, Adhikari mentioned that 142.79 acres of land have been handed over to the BSF for border fencing, and the construction of barbed wire fences along 600 kilometers of the border is expected to be completed within the next few months.