Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Minister Priyank Kharge announced that around 1,000 suspected illegal immigrants, primarily from Bangladesh and African countries, have been identified in Karnataka over the past three months during rigorous inspection and search operations.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Kharge stated, "The government has a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigrants. This is not a temporary drive; the search operations are being conducted strictly and seriously and will continue." He further noted that the identified individuals "are all coming from North India."

Kharge elaborated that state law enforcement agencies are coordinating with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRO). "We are already in touch with BSF and FRO officials. We are giving 100% attention to this issue. This is not a task to be done for a week and then stopped. It must continue continuously. We will form a separate team if necessary. Crucially, the central government must cooperate with us on this issue," he emphasized.

Raising questions about the influx, the minister pointed out that border security falls under the purview of the central government. "Our state does not share international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, or any other country. If they are entering the state, where are they coming from? Are they coming through Tripura, Assam, or West Bengal? Border security is the responsibility of the central government. In my view, the central government is not discharging its responsibilities adequately. If people are travelling this far, it means not only the international borders but also the borders between states are vulnerable," he stated.

Kharge also addressed the recent trend on social media where individuals confront suspected immigrants. He urged the public to share actionable intelligence with the authorities rather than resorting to abuse or vigilantism.

"Recently, a trend has started where some people go to slums, question the residents about their country or state of origin, record videos, and abuse the government as they please. If you have information, come forward and provide it to our officials. In your attempt to become a social media hero, are you actually strengthening an international mafia?" the minister asked.