AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal calls Bangladeshi pushbacks unconstitutional
Synopsis
AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal has called the pushback of suspected illegal Bangladeshis in Assam 'absolutely unlawful' and an 'atrocity' — a direct challenge to the Assam government's intensifying deportation drive. With the NRC's 19-lakh exclusion list still unresolved and pushback operations legally untested in court, Ajmal's intervention could force a judicial reckoning over the state's border enforcement methods.
Key Takeaways
AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal on 7 July called the pushback of suspected illegal Bangladeshis in Assam 'absolutely unlawful, illegal and wrong.' Ajmal demanded that all detection and deportation actions strictly follow constitutional and legal procedures .
He said figures he had previously cited on illegal immigrant numbers were based on official government records , with exact data to be shared later.
The Assam government has recently intensified its drive to identify and deport illegal foreign nationals.
Illegal immigration from Bangladesh has been a politically sensitive issue in Assam for decades, intertwined with the NRC process and border security concerns.
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president and Binnakandi MLA Badruddin Ajmal on Tuesday, 7 July launched a sharp attack on the ongoing detection, deportation, and alleged pushback of suspected illegal Bangladeshi nationals in Assam, asserting that every such action must strictly conform to the law and the provisions of the Constitution of India. Ajmal called the practice of pushback 'absolutely unlawful, illegal and wrong' and described it as an atrocity.
What Ajmal Said
Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, the AIUDF chief drew a clear distinction between lawful deportation and what he characterised as extrajudicial pushback. He argued that the process of identifying and removing illegal immigrants must be carried out exclusively within the framework of established legal procedures and constitutional safeguards.
'In today's world, everything functions according to the law and the Constitution. In India too, every action must be guided by the Constitution,' Ajmal said. He alleged that those carrying out pushbacks without adhering to constitutional principles 'do not respect the Constitution.'
On the Numbers Cited Earlier
Ajmal also addressed questions about figures he had previously cited regarding the number of suspected illegal immigrants. He maintained that the data was drawn from official government records, but added that he would furnish the exact figures at a later stage. Critics have noted that the precise scale of illegal immigration in Assam has long been contested, with different official and political sources producing widely varying estimates.
The Broader Political Context
Ajmal's remarks come as the Assam state government has intensified its drive to identify and deport foreign nationals residing illegally in the state, bringing the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh back into sharp political focus. The campaign has drawn both support and criticism across party lines, with questions raised about due process and the treatment of detained individuals.
Illegal immigration from Bangladesh has remained one of Assam's most politically charged issues for decades. Successive governments — both at the state and central level — have cited concerns over demographic shifts, border security, and the legal mechanisms enshrined in the Foreigners Act and the Citizenship Act for detecting and deporting illegal entrants. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) update, completed in 2019, itself left nearly 19 lakh applicants outside its final list, deepening the political sensitivity around the issue.
What Happens Next
Ajmal's intervention is likely to intensify the legislative and public debate around the legality of pushback operations in Assam. Legal experts and civil society groups have previously flagged that pushbacks — where individuals are physically returned across the border without formal deportation proceedings — may not be sanctioned under Indian law. The Assam government has not yet formally responded to Ajmal's specific allegations as of the time of this report.
Point of View
And its use in Assam has never been tested before the Supreme Court. The Assam government's silence on the procedural specifics is telling. Meanwhile, Ajmal's refusal to immediately furnish the figures he cited earlier undermines his own credibility on the numbers, even if his constitutional argument holds. The deeper problem is that Assam's illegal immigration debate has for decades generated more political heat than legal clarity — and this episode is unlikely to be an exception.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Badruddin Ajmal say about the pushback of Bangladeshi nationals in Assam?
AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal on 7 July called the pushback of suspected illegal Bangladeshi nationals 'absolutely unlawful, illegal and wrong,' describing it as an atrocity. He demanded that any action to detect or deport illegal immigrants be carried out strictly within constitutional and legal frameworks.
What is the difference between deportation and pushback?
Deportation is a formal legal process involving identification, detention, and removal of a foreign national through established procedures under the Foreigners Act. Pushback refers to the physical return of individuals across the border without formal legal proceedings, which critics — including Ajmal — argue lacks statutory sanction under Indian law.
Why is illegal immigration from Bangladesh a sensitive issue in Assam?
Assam shares a long border with Bangladesh and has historically seen large-scale migration, which successive governments have linked to demographic changes and border security concerns. The issue reached a flashpoint with the National Register of Citizens update in 2019, which left nearly 19 lakh applicants outside the final list.
What figures did Ajmal cite on illegal immigrants, and are they verified?
Ajmal said the figures he had previously cited were based on official government records, but declined to furnish the exact data immediately, saying he would provide it at a later stage. The precise scale of illegal immigration in Assam has long been disputed across political and official sources.
How has the Assam government responded to Ajmal's allegations?
As of 7 July, the Assam state government had not formally responded to Ajmal's specific allegations regarding the legality of pushback operations. The government has, however, been publicly vocal about intensifying its drive to identify and deport illegal foreign nationals from the state.
