No cases of foreigners getting Aadhaar, other govt benefits reported during SIR in K'taka: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge told the legislature that no cases of Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, or Iranians obtaining Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or other government benefits have been reported during the ongoing SIR of the electoral roll in the state.
The minister said this in a written reply to a question by expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
"During the ongoing SIR (of electoral roll) process in the state, no cases have been reported of Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, or Iranians obtaining Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or other government benefits," Kharge said.
Yatnal had asked whether the serious issue of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Iranian nationals allegedly possessing Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and other government benefits and being registered as voters has come to the government's notice during the ongoing SIR process in the state? If so, how many such cases have been reported across the state?
The SIR enumeration process concluded on August 17, with the draft electoral rolls scheduled for publication on August 24. As many as 1.07 crore voters have been categorised under Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others (ASDDO).
Meanwhile, in a reply to a question in the Legislative Council, the Home Minister said the exact number of foreigners who have illegally entered the country and are residing in the state is unavailable. However, over the past three years, a total of 911 illegal immigrants have been identified in the state.
According to the data shared by the minister, the 911 illegal immigrants include: Bangladesh-868, Pakistan-20, Nigeria-13, Sri Lanka-8, Myanmar and Uganda-1.
The total number of foreigners involved in criminal activities stands at 365, he added.
To identify foreign nationals who continue to reside in the country after their visa period expires (overstayers), their details are entered into the DPM (District Police Module) and FIP (Foreigners Identification Portal).
They are then produced before the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Officer) authorities for further necessary action.
In another written reply to the Legislative Assembly, Kharge said that to identify illegal immigrants residing in the State, appropriate instructions have been issued at the police-station level for intelligence and crime personnel to monitor the movements of foreign nationals.
It has been observed that a significant number of illegal Bangladeshi nationals in the State are engaged in rag-picking, and appropriate instructions have been issued to monitor their movements, he said.
Whenever Bangladeshi nationals found to be illegally residing in the State are detected, information about such persons is provided to the Foreigners Division/Ministry of External Affairs, and steps are taken for their deportation, he added.
Cases are registered against Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in the State, the minister further said. Until the cases are disposed of by the competent court and an Exit Permit is obtained from the concerned department, such persons are kept at the Foreigners Restriction Centre (FRC). After disposal of the cases, necessary steps are taken to deport the foreign nationals.
A Special Task Force has also been constituted to detect illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. If illegal immigrants are found in the State, action will be taken as per the rules and guidelines issued from time to time by the state and central governments, he said.
Kharge said that in Bengaluru City, all Divisional Deputy Commissioners of Police have been instructed to deploy reserve forces and personnel and take appropriate action to maintain continuous surveillance in areas where a large number of foreign nationals reside.
In Bengaluru City, special operations under the name "Operation Muktha" have been conducted to identify illegal immigrants residing in the city and take steps for their deportation in accordance with the prescribed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), he said. Special operations have also been undertaken to legally investigate persons who provide shelter, employment, or any other form of assistance to illegal immigrants, he said.