Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 10 (ANI): The Assam Police in the early hours of Thursday pushed back five Bangladeshi citizens and three Rohingyas back to Bangladesh from Cachar and Sribhumi.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared a post on his official 'X' handle, informing about the development.

'Protecting Assam's interests is foremost! Early this morning, Assam Police PUSHED BACK 5 Bangladeshis and 3 Rohingyas back to Bangladesh from Cachar and Sribhumi. Illegal infiltrators WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to stay in Assam and threaten our identity', Himanta Biswa Sarma's 'X' post said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the Assam CM strongly defended the ongoing eviction drive in parts of the state, reiterating the government's commitment to removing what he termed as 'illegal Bangladeshis.'

Interacting with media in Kokrajhar, CM Sarma said, 'Some people from Karimganj, Dhubri, Chappar, and Silchar are going and settling in Lakhimpur. They have been evicted to protect the freedom and land rights of the local people of Lakhimpur.'

He further stated that the BJP government's eviction campaign will not be halted under political pressure. 'If anyone has a problem with the removal of 350 illegal Bangladeshis, they will have to bear with it. Many people have been martyred in the past in the fight to drive Bangladeshis,' Sarma said.

The Chief Minister also accused Opposition leaders of politicising the issue. 'Now they are doing politics in the name of this girl to provide security to Bangladeshis. Their objective is to stop the BJP's eviction campaign, but the BJP has gone ahead with it,' he added.

Sarma emphasised that the campaign will continue in other parts of the state, including Dhubri. 'It will happen tomorrow in Dhubri's Chappar. No outsider should be allowed to enter Bodoland,' he declared.

On July 5, CM Sarma informed that 18 Bangladeshis, living without valid documents in Assam, were pushed back. He said the pushbacks were done from the Cachar and Sribhumi districts. (ANI)