Hyderabad – Concerns are rising over the presence of foreign nationals such as Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, and Rohingyas living illegally in Telangana, especially in Hyderabad. These issues have sparked debate about how local and state agencies have handled the matter over the years.
On Sunday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar issued a strong reminder to the Telangana government. He urged authorities to follow the Centre’s directive and take action to deport illegal immigrants. He emphasized that this is a serious national issue and not just a local one.
“Token actions are not enough,” said Sanjay. “Reports suggest that many people, including Rohingyas, are living in Hyderabad without valid documents like passports or visas.” He asked the Congress-led Telangana government to clearly state its position on the deportation of these foreign nationals.
He warned that turning a blind eye to this problem could create major security risks. “This is not about religion or politics. It’s about law and order,” he said. “If this issue is ignored or politicized, Hyderabad could become a safe zone for terrorists.”
A former senior police officer, who served in the Telangana region when it was part of United Andhra Pradesh, explained how the now-revoked Article 370 once gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir. Under this law, the state could decide who was a permanent resident. But over time, people from across the border managed to get Indian documents like ration cards, Aadhaar, PAN cards, and voter IDs, sometimes even leading to Indian passports.
According to this officer, many of these individuals are now being asked to leave the country. At the Attari-Wagah border, families are being split—some members hold Pakistani passports, others have Indian ones. The situation has created a humanitarian crisis and exposed serious flaws in the system.
The blame lies largely with state departments like home, revenue, and police, which issued valid Indian documents to these individuals without proper verification. This failure has now become a potential threat to internal security.
A law professor from Osmania University confirmed the severity of the problem. “Only Indian nationals should receive these documents,” he said. “But state machinery has been careless for years. Now, foreign nationals use these documents to seek legal protection under Indian and international law.”
This situation raises more questions about government responsibility. Are Telangana’s authorities—like GHMC, Home Department, and Revenue Department—repeating the same mistakes that happened in Jammu and Kashmir?
There have been several complaints during past elections about Bangladeshis and Rohingyas receiving voter cards in Hyderabad. But so far, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has not provided any explanation or taken visible action.
The District Collector, who also serves as the District Election Authority, is responsible for preparing accurate voter lists and issuing ration cards. Yet neither this office nor the State Chief Electoral Officer has addressed the complaints publicly.
In contrast, other state governments across India have shared data about illegal foreign residents and their deportation efforts. But Telangana's Home Secretary and police officials have remained silent, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
As this issue grows, it puts pressure on the Telangana government to act decisively. With national security at stake, many are now demanding answers and action.
