Patna, Feb 26 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday inaugurated and laid the e-foundation stones for several infrastructure projects of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the Border Outposts Leti and Indarwa in Araria, Bihar. 

Addressing SSB personnel and local residents, the Home Minister stressed the importance of heightened vigilance along the India–Nepal border, despite India sharing friendly relations with the neighbouring country.

"It is true that we are guarding a border with a friendly nation. But it is not necessary that anti-national elements or enemies of the country will not try to use this route to enter India. Therefore, the Sashastra Seema Bal must remain alert and further strengthen its intelligence network," HM Shah said.

Emphasising grassroots intelligence, HM Shah underlined the need for strong communication between SSB personnel and residents of border villages.

"Only when there is effective interaction between our jawans, officers and border villages can we receive accurate and timely information," he noted.

Reiterating a key poll promise, the Union Home Minister announced that the Central government is preparing to launch a decisive campaign against infiltration in the Seemanchal region of Bihar.

"We had promised the people of Bihar that we would free the state from infiltrators. This does not merely mean deleting names from the voter list. We are determined to remove every infiltrator from Indian soil," HM Shah declared.

He said the campaign would begin soon and would include the demolition of all illegal encroachments within 10 kilometres of the international border, along with the identification and deportation of infiltrators.

He alleged that infiltrators not only influence elections but also deprive the poor of welfare benefits.

"Infiltrators steal the poor's share of the ration, reduce employment opportunities for our youth and pose a serious threat to national security. It is time for the entire country to address this issue decisively," he said.

Recalling his election campaign, Shah said he had personally spent four days in Seemanchal and sought the people’s continued support to fulfil the promise made during that period.

The Home Minister claimed that demographic changes due to infiltration have significantly affected West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar.

Referring to elections in West Bengal, he expressed confidence that the BJP would form the government there. "Once the BJP government is formed in Bengal, completing border fencing and expelling infiltrators will be among the top priorities," he said.

HM Shah concluded by stating that the NDA government in Bihar has received a clear public mandate on this agenda and that ensuring border security and addressing infiltration remain central to the government's vision for Bihar’s welfare.

--IANS