Assam Police gears up to monitor foreign preachers in state, vigilant over visa norms violation

The Assam government has directed all its district superintendents of police (SPs) to keep an eye out for foreigners who are indulging in religious preaching while breaking tourist visa rules.

The order came after the detention and deportation of 27 foreign nationals — 17 Bangladeshis and 10 Europeans — from three districts in Assam just in a month's time. 

Notably, all the foreigners were on a tourist visa, not a missionary visa, which allowed very limited religious activity.

Speaking to the media Assam Special DGP GP Singh said, "We have directed all the SPs of their respective districts that anywhere irrespective of religion if there is any preaching or congregation of foreigners we have to keep a watch."

"As per rules of the country anybody who wants to come to the country for religious preaching has to take the missionary (M1) visa, so if they are coming on a tourist visa and indulging in religious practices, is unlawful," the top cop added.

Further GP Singh remarked that there is a difference and there are types of activities that people can indulge in even while coming on a missionary visa and one of the things is activities related to conversion which are explicitly banned in all kinds of visas including missionary visas.

The top cop has also warned that if anyone with missionary visas also indulges in religious conversions, lawful action will be taken.

Meanwhile, in all cases, the state police have also written to the competent authorities under the government of India through the specail branch to blacklist such people and such organisations from future issuance of visas.

Currently, the state police are said to investigate the matter of who is financing the individuals for such religious preachings.