Critics say the operation, meant to identify illegal Bangladeshi nationals, is sweeping up legitimate citizens due to clerical errors and ethnic profiling
GUWAHATI – Anxiety is rising along the India-Bangladesh border as the Assam government intensifies its crackdown on undocumented immigrants under ‘Operation Sindoor’. At least 14 Assamese residents, mostly Muslims, have reportedly been pushed into ‘No Man’s Land’ — a desolate strip between India and Bangladesh — despite holding Indian citizenship documents. Critics say the operation, meant to identify illegal Bangladeshi nationals, is sweeping up legitimate citizens due to clerical errors and ethnic profiling.
On Wednesday, a delegation of senior MLAs from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) submitted a memorandum to Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, protesting the government’s recent action. According to the party, the affected individuals possess valid documents proving their Indian citizenship.
“These are not Bangladeshis. These are our people. They have their documents, they have their families here,” said an AIUDF MLA after the meeting. “Yet they have been pushed into no man’s land without food or water. It is inhuman.”
Governor Kataria has reportedly assured the delegation that he will speak to the state government and look into the matter. “We are hopeful that justice will be served and our people brought back,” said another MLA.
The 14 individuals, now stranded in the border zone between Karimganj in Assam and Bangladesh’s Sylhet district, are neither accepted by India nor Bangladesh. With no access to food, clean water, or shelter, their condition has become increasingly dire.
Local sources report that the displaced individuals are surviving in the open, some under plastic sheets, exposed to both harsh weather and deep uncertainty. One resident of Karimganj, who requested anonymity, said:
“There is no law here. No country is claiming them. They are simply left to die in silence.”
The individuals in question are mostly classified as D-Voters — or Doubtful Voters — a controversial designation assigned to individuals whose citizenship is under dispute, often due to minor discrepancies in records or legacy documentation. The classification disproportionately affects Muslims in Assam.
According to legal experts, however, being listed as a D-Voter does not mean the person is a foreigner. “They are only under suspicion until proven otherwise,” said senior advocate M Ilyasi, who has handled numerous such cases.
“Even the Supreme Court recognises that until a verdict is given, a person cannot be treated as a foreigner. This kind of action amounts to pre-judgment and is unconstitutional.”
The Foreigners Tribunal, the body tasked with adjudicating citizenship claims in Assam, has faced growing scrutiny over its functioning. A BBC investigation highlighted inconsistencies in verdicts and a lack of standard procedure. Even retired Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur has publicly criticised the tribunal, calling many of its rulings “unilateral” and “arbitrary”.
“The lack of uniformity leads to judicial chaos,” Justice Lokur said in a public statement. “Innocent people are often branded foreigners due to technical or bureaucratic lapses.”
One such case involved a government schoolteacher who was declared a D-Voter despite being born in Assam and having spent his entire career promoting education in rural areas. His case is still pending in court.
In February 2024, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed in the assembly that the state currently has 96,987 D-Voters. Between 1997 and 2023, over 89,000 names were removed from the D-Voter list after legal proceedings.
At the same time, 26,144 people had received notices from the Foreigners Tribunal, while hearings for 11,819 cases remain pending. Alarmingly, 41,275 individuals had not yet received any notice but remained listed as D-Voters — living in a state of legal limbo.
Chief Minister Sarma stated that the tribunal acts on the recommendation of local investigative officers and follows the Foreigners (Tribunal) Order, 1964. However, critics argue that the process often lacks due diligence and disproportionately targets minorities.
Quoting a Times of India report, Sarma informed the assembly that over 1.59 lakh individuals have been declared foreigners in Assam as of 31 December 2023. Out of 3.37 lakh resolved cases, many are still under legal review or pending deportation. With over 100 Foreigners Tribunals functioning in the state, the rate of adjudication remains inconsistent and riddled with legal and humanitarian challenges.
The social fallout of the crackdown is becoming increasingly visible in Assam’s Muslim-majority border districts. Entire families now live in fear of surprise raids, detentions, and arbitrary tagging as D-Voters.
One elderly woman in Karimganj said, “We have been here since before Independence. My father’s name is in the 1951 NRC, and yet my grandson has been called a foreigner. What more proof can we give?”
According to Sharif Uddin Ahmed, a local journalist covering the issue, even those who win their cases remain traumatised. “They are marked for life. Their children can’t find jobs, they can’t vote, and they’re constantly under suspicion.”
Human rights organisations have raised concerns about India’s international obligations, especially under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits statelessness and arbitrary deprivation of nationality.
Legal observers argue that India risks violating its constitutional guarantees under Articles 14 and 21, which ensure equality before law and the right to life and personal liberty. “A person cannot be punished or exiled without due process,” said constitutional expert Professor Abdul Nasir.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has previously cautioned India about mass statelessness in Assam following similar citizenship drives.
As the state and central governments tighten their grip on undocumented migration, civil society groups are urging for a more humane approach — one that differentiates between genuine foreigners and Indian citizens caught in a flawed system.
The individuals stranded in ‘No Man’s Land’ are the most vulnerable victims of a policy that seems to blur the line between national security and civil rights.
As one AIUDF MLA said, “The government may have power, but it must also have a conscience. We cannot deny our own people their dignity and humanity.” – With inputs from Sharif Uddin Ahmed
