The All BTC Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU) has strongly criticised the government’s pushback policy against alleged illegal migrants from Bangladesh. ABMSU president Taison Hussain said the policy is “completely unconstitutional” and questioned how one member of a family can be declared Bangladeshi when the rest are recognised as Indian citizens.
Hussain said, “If 10 members of a family are Indian citizens, how can one member of the same family be declared Bangladeshi? How is this possible in one family?” He added that such actions create fear among genuine citizens, especially those who already face verification and tribunal proceedings.
The ABMSU president said the government is trying to push suspected foreigners into “no man’s land” at the border, which, according to him, goes against legal procedure. He said deportation has a formal process, and any forced pushback without due legal steps violates constitutional rights, including the right to life and liberty under Article 21. 
Hussain also referred to ongoing citizenship and tribunal proceedings in Assam, saying many people who have lived in India for generations are being marked doubtful or declared foreigners. He cited examples of Indian citizens ending up in detention centres or facing constant legal battles to prove their identity.
He said the policy creates social and emotional hardship, especially for poor and illiterate families who struggle with paperwork. “When one person in a family is suddenly called Bangladeshi despite others being accepted as Indian, it breaks the entire family,” Hussain said.
He also raised questions about the government’s stand on Bangladesh and migration, saying political messaging should not create panic among minority communities in Assam. According to him, citizenship issues should be handled carefully and with respect to human rights.
The ABMSU leader added that deportation, if required, must follow international and national legal frameworks and not unilateral border pushback. He warned that this could damage India’s image and also cause humanitarian problems.
Hussain further said that if the government believes there are illegal migrants, then it should rely on proper judicial examination instead of short-cut methods. He stressed that the Foreigners’ Tribunal system should function fairly so that genuine citizens do not suffer.
He said that ABMSU will continue to speak for people facing citizenship challenges and will organise public meetings and awareness programmes in different parts of the BTC region.
