Bengaluru, (DHNS): The state BJP on Saturday demanded that the government should take immediate measures to deport illegal immigrants, including Bangladeshis, and foreigners overstaying in Bengaluru.

Addressing the executive committee meeting of BJP Bengaluru Urban district unit, state party president B S Yeddyurappa said hundreds of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are staying in Bengaluru. The coalition government should identify and deport them without  indulging in votebank politics, he said.

Party leader R Ashoka said over five lakh illegal immigrants are staying in Bengaluru. Illegal immigrants and overstaying foreigners are the reason for drug menace. Like garbage mafia, drug mafia has been bringing disrepute to the state capital. Though the government admitted that there are illegal immigrants, no action has been taken to deport them, he charged. Illegal immigrants are staying in various slums of Bengaluru. They have been given Aadhaar numbers and voter identity cards. “If strict action is not taken to deport them, Karnataka will soon go the Assam way. Illegal immigrants have snatched all rights of local people in Assam,” he warned.

Ashoka said the BJP leaders would soon meet the Bengaluru city police commissioner and urge him to take action against illegal immigrants and overstaying foreigners.

Yeddyurappa said the party leaders should introspect on the setback to BJP in the Assembly polls in Bengaluru. The BJP could have easily won 17 to 18 seats. Instead, the party got only 11 seats. The leaders from Bengaluru should ascertain reasons for it and ensure that the party performs better in the Lok Sabha polls.

He called upon the party workers to expose misdeeds and corruption in BBMP and educate people on how the JD(S)-Congress government had failed to solve problems related to basic amenities.