Chhattisgarh Villages To Keep 'Citizen Registers' To Track Infiltrators

The Chhattisgarh government is preparing for what it calls a decisive crackdown on illegal infiltration by introducing a 'citizen register' system in villages. This move comes in the backdrop of 30 Bangladeshi nationals being deported from the state and is aimed at identifying new entrants, tracking those who have left, and maintaining records of all villagers at the panchayat level.

In what is being described as a major administrative reform, the government plans to keep a record of every individual living in a village, those who leave, and those who newly settle.

The panchayat will maintain this data in a physical register, a step officials believe will strengthen internal security and preserve local rights.

"We are trying to have a register maintained in the panchayat through which the status of those living in the panchayat before and after becomes clear," said Vijay Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.

The government's crackdown comes amid national concerns over cross-border terrorism and infiltration, especially following the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Officials say that 30 Bangladeshi infiltrators have already been deported and nearly 2,000 Pakistani visa holders in the state are under close watch.

Village heads are welcoming the move.

"Earlier there was no plan to track outsiders. Now if a register is maintained at the panchayat level, the people of Chhattisgarh will benefit. Outsiders were settling in and enjoying benefits meant for locals. This step will protect our rights," said Sevaram Patre, sarpanch of Newari village in Kawardha district.

Echoing the sentiment, Rajkumar Jangde, sarpanch of Ghughrikala, highlighted how unchecked settlement has led to misuse of government schemes and rise in crime.

"People would come, settle without informing the Kotwar, get ration cards, even voter IDs. Recently some outsiders even occupied houses under the Atal Awas scheme. We had to remove them. This register will help put an end to such practices," he said.

Until now, identification of newcomers relied largely on informal networks, primarily the Kotwar and village elders, but this often failed due to lack of proper communication or deliberate omission.

With a formal system in place, the administration expects more accountability and fewer loopholes.

However, the Opposition Congress has slammed the move as nothing but political theatre.

"Creating a register now is a political decision. The Kotwar system already exists and has been effective. This is just an attempt to create fear and polarize voters," said Vinod Chandrakar, former Congress MLA.

The government maintains that national security and local welfare are at the core of this decision, while the Congress alleges it is an electoral tactic to stir communal sentiments ahead of elections.