Karnataka to form special squad against illegal immigration

Karnataka will form a special squad to identify and expel illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, with Minister Reddy stressing central responsibility for border control

The Karnataka government has announced plans to establish a special squad to identify and expel illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from the state. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy made the statement in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, responding on behalf of Home Minister G Parameshwara to a calling-attention motion raised by independent MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.

Yatnal alleged that Bengaluru alone hosts nearly 25 lakhs illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants, claiming they are employed in shopping malls and as security personnel, while also forging ration and Aadhaar cards. He further accused agents across districts of facilitating their settlement and warned that unchecked immigration could create a situation similar to West Bengal, where he argued Hindus face insecurity.

The MLA, who was expelled from the BJP, blamed police and intelligence failures for the alleged influx and demanded a comprehensive survey to identify illegal immigrants. He also claimed Hindu activists attempting to expose such cases were being harassed.

Reddy, however, dismissed the figure of 25 lakh illegal immigrants in Bengaluru, pointing out that the city’s population is around one crore. He clarified that many residents hailed from other Indian states, including eight to ten lakhs from West Bengal and seven to eight lakhs from Bihar, along with migrants from Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. He emphasized that people from the north-eastern states are often mistaken for Bangladeshis.

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Recalling his earlier tenure as Home Minister, Reddy noted that a similar squad had been formed to identify illegal immigrants working in coffee estates in Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru. He assured that if necessary, a new squad would be constituted to address the issue. However, he stressed that preventing illegal entry into the country is primarily the responsibility of the Central Government.

The announcement has reignited debate over immigration in Karnataka, with concerns about security, documentation fraud, and the need for coordinated enforcement measures.

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