All Pakistan citizens staying illegally must be identified, sent back: Sukanta Majumdar

Kolkata: Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday demanded that all Pakistan citizens staying illegally in the country, including in West Bengal, be identified and sent back to their native country.

He said that the arrest of a Pakistani woman after allegedly staying in West Bengal's Chandannagar for around 45 years goes on to show "lax surveillance" on such illegalities in the state.

West Bengal Police on Saturday arrested a Pakistani national from Hooghly district for allegedly overstaying in India for 45 years after arriving on a tourist visa in 1980.

"We want all Pakistan citizens staying illegally in the country, including in Bengal, be identified, apprehended and sent back to their native country," Majumdar, who is also the BJP's West Bengal state president, said at a press conference in Dakshin Dinajpur district's Balurghat town.

"We (BJP) will hold demonstrations with the demand in front of all district headquarters on Monday before giving the deputation," Majumdar said.

The Union Minister of State for Education said that deputation will be given to the district magistrates in all district headquarters in West Bengal on Monday and a request will be made that copies of it be sent to the President of India and the chief minister of West Bengal.

Asked how many people were likely to be staying in Bengal, he said the state government has not come up with any figure.

"The state government here sometimes behaves like they are not part of the federal structure, so there is a need to remind it of its responsibilities," he said.

Stating that the central government came up with a notification on April 25 asking all states to take steps to send back all Pakistan citizens to their native country, Majumdar said that this has become necessary following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists were killed.

Majumdar said that efforts are being made to secure the release of BSF jawan P K Shaw, who was captured by Pakistan Rangers after allegedly straying into that country.

Maintaining that around 450 km-long international border between India and Bangladesh was not fenced in West Bengal, he claimed that land could not be acquired by the Centre for the purpose owing to lack of cooperation by the Mamata Banerjee government.

He said that a Citizens' Register is a must to stop illegal immigration into India by people from other countries, including Bangladesh and Pakistan.