NEW DELHI, March 28: The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing the House during the debate, made it clear that while India welcomes individuals coming for tourism, education, healthcare, or business, the government will take stringent action against anyone posing a threat to national security.
Shah emphasized that those who pose a threat to national security would not be allowed to enter India, asserting that the country is not a “Dharamshala” (shelter home). He made it clear that anyone coming to contribute to India’s development would always be welcomed. The Home Minister stated that the new legislation aims to enhance national security, bolster the economy, and support essential sectors like healthcare and education. The Bill would also provide up-to-date information about every foreigner visiting India.
A significant part of the debate was dedicated to addressing illegal infiltration, particularly by Rohingyas from Myanmar and Bangladeshis. Shah warned that the government would take strict measures against those who sought refuge in India for personal gain and made the nation unsafe. He noted that illegal infiltration had increased and posed a danger if left unchecked. “I welcome everyone who wants to visit India as a tourist, for education, for healthcare, for research and development, for business, and so on. But those who come as a threat to the country, we will keep a close look at them and take strong action against them,” he said.
The Home Minister also referred to the delay in the completion of border fencing along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. He accused the West Bengal government of failing to act decisively against illegal infiltration in recent years, citing the pending 450 km of fencing that had not been completed because the West Bengal government had not provided the required land for the project. Shah claimed that ruling party workers, specifically Trinamool Congress workers, engaged in hooliganism and religious sloganeering whenever the fencing work was underway.
“The ruling party workers indulge in hooliganism and religious sloganeering. The fencing work of 450 km of the border has not been completed because the West Bengal government is showing mercy to the infiltrators,” Shah added. He also pointed out that this delay had allowed the infiltration of individuals, particularly from Bangladesh, and the spread of illegal Aadhaar cards in South 24 Parganas.
Shah concluded by asserting that the government would soon take control of West Bengal, ensuring the completion of the remaining fencing and promising strict action to prevent further illegal immigration.
