Key Points

"Being a border state, we deal with a lot of issues, and we know how to tackle and fix them. We are taking our fight one step ahead by barring the acquisition of Aadhaar by 18+ year olds in Assam, except in rare cases. This will eliminate a major support avenue of the illegal infiltrators," Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

The Chief Minister said that Aadhaar had often been misused by infiltrators to establish false citizenship claims, access welfare benefits, and legitimise their presence in the state.

By tightening Aadhaar enrolment, he asserted, Assam was protecting itself against demographic threats arising from unchecked illegal migration.

Sarma emphasised that the decision was not intended to deprive genuine Indian citizens but to safeguard the state's interests.

"We will have rare exceptions, but the larger goal is clear--to ensure that no infiltrator gets an Aadhaar card and later uses it as a weapon to claim Indian identity," he said.

On Thursday, Sarma announced the measure after a cabinet meeting, stating that Aadhaar registration of adults in Assam will be suspended for the next 30 days.

The government's move follows longstanding concerns over cross-border migration from Bangladesh, which successive governments in the state have described as a threat to the state's demography, culture, and resources.

The issue has been politically sensitive in Assam for decades, with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise of 2019 also aimed at detecting and excluding illegal migrants. The Aadhaar restriction is now being projected by the BJP-led government as an additional safeguard.

"People of Assam know the pain of illegal infiltration. Our government has continuously pushed back against this menace. This step will further strengthen our resolve," Sarma reiterated.

- IANS