Govt should have taken strict steps from beginning to stop infiltration: Shiv Sena-UBT

Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) A day after the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 officially came into force, bringing with it stringent provisions against forged passports, visas and infiltration, the Shiv Sena-UBT on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Central government of "waking up late" and failing in its responsibility to protect the nation’s borders.

The new law, passed by Parliament during the Budget Session earlier this year and receiving Presidential assent on April 4, empowers the Centre to impose strict punishments for violations relating to immigration documents. According to the official notification issued by Additional Secretary, Home Affairs, Nitesh Kumar Vyas, the Act took effect on September 1.

Speaking to IANS, Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson Anand Dubey noted: "It has been 11 years since the BJP has been in power at the Centre, and only now they are talking about stopping infiltration. Not one of their promises has been fulfilled in all these years. Infiltration poses a threat to our national security, the lives and property of citizens, and even their honour. Infiltrators care for nothing but their own gain. The government should have acted from the beginning. Waking up this late proves that the BJP has failed in fulfilling its responsibility."

On the ongoing Maratha quota agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange, whose hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai ended on its fifth day, a day after Mumbai Police had served a notice to him and his supporters asking them to vacate the protest site, he said: "We respect the judiciary, but it is shameful that neither the Chief Minister nor any senior BJP leader has bothered to meet Manoj Jarange" till now.

The Shiv Sena-UBT leader also reacted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s warning of a fresh expose against the BJP over alleged “vote theft.” Gandhi had compared his upcoming disclosure to a “hydrogen bomb” following his earlier "atom bomb" remark in the Mahadevpura case.

"First it was the atom bomb, now the hydrogen bomb, and maybe next will be the nuclear bomb. Rahul Gandhi is pointing towards the fact that new evidence and documents are continuously coming into his hands. Just as the Supreme Court delivered justice in Haryana to the wrongfully defeated Sarpanch, justice will ultimately prevail here, too. If such evidence is indeed available, it will mark a huge step towards truth, justice and transparency in democracy," he added.

The Shiv Sena-UBT leader further responded to the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant more time for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, even as it highlighted the trust deficit between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and political parties.

"We fully respect the Supreme Court. In court, sometimes we receive encouragement, sometimes we face rebuke—that is part of democracy. Even if extra time is not granted, the opposition will not lose strength. We will argue more vigorously, present stronger evidence, and hold both the government and the Election Commission accountable. From Parliament to the streets, we will fight against corruption and stand for the rights and justice of the people, especially in the context of the Bihar elections," he stated.

--IANS

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