Jairam Ramesh Visits Silchar Detention Camp

Former union minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday expressed his serious concern over gross violation of human rights in the Silchar detention center.

Ramesh said that 48 detainees in the center have claimed themselves as bonafide citizens of India and if that is the case, it's a gross violation of human rights.

The former minister along with party leaders including Jitendra Singh, Manikram Thakur, Mukul Wasnik, Md. Ali Khan, APCC President Ripun Bora and All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev visited the detention center today which is housed inside the Silchar Central Jail.

According to reports, there are 78 detainees in the detentioncamp and Ramesh spoke to all of them and took stock of their conditions.

The Congress leader said that 17 detainees have confessed that they are Bangladeshis who have been lodged in the jail for the last several years. However, the process to deport them has not started.

Ramesh further stated that his point is that there are many detainees who have spent more than three years in this detention center, and as per law, with a surety of Rs. 2lakhs they can get bail. But having said this, the law has to take its own course.

He also said that the team would submit a report on the detention center to party President Sonia Gandhi based on the findings.