Karnataka BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy expressed worries about national security due to the rail link between West Bengal and Bengaluru. He urged Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to address the alleged unchecked movement of Bangladeshis through this route. Narayanaswamy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, emphasized the importance of monitoring these transit routes for safeguarding national security.
Narayanaswamy highlighted the significant number of weekly and daily train services connecting West Bengal and Bengaluru. While these services are crucial for the economy, concerns have been raised about the potential misuse of these routes for illegal immigration. He pointed out that individuals traveling on these trains often possess Aadhaar cards and voter IDs obtained through fraudulent means, raising doubts about their citizenship status.
The BJP leader mentioned that Bengaluru has seen an increase in illegal settlers posing as migrants from West Bengal and the Northeast. Recent police actions have uncovered numerous individuals with fake documents in the city. The high passenger volume on these trains makes it challenging for security forces to conduct thorough background checks, creating opportunities for unauthorized entry into southern India.
Narayanaswamy called for specialized verification drives at major boarding and deboarding points along this route. He suggested reevaluating the frequency of train services to enhance security monitoring and proposed deploying undercover personnel to identify suspicious activities. Additionally, he recommended linking railway reservation systems with national databases to flag individuals with questionable documentation.
