The clarification followed former CM Biren Singh’s claim that the Assam Rifles had confirmed the presence of “illegal entrants” who arrived from Myanmar in hordes.
BY PC Bureau
August 21, 2025: Assam Rifles has clarified that around 42,000 Myanmar nationals who entered India since December have been formally recorded under the new post-Free Movement Regime (FMR) protocol, rejecting claims that they are “illegal immigrants.”
The clarification came after former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh gave a controversial spin to an innocuous remark of Director General of Assam Rifles, Lt. Gen. Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, delivered during a seminar at Manipur University.
READ: Biren Singh Labels Myanmar Entrants ‘Illegal’ Despite Biometrics
“After the new FMR policy came into effect, the Myanmarese nationals entering India through crossing points are now being mapped. Since December, 42,000 individuals have been mapped with the help of biometrics and various measures instituted by all concerned government agencies. The data is being shared with all agencies,” Assam Rifles said in its statement.
It further explained that these individuals, fleeing Myanmar’s civil war, stay temporarily in the North Eastern states—mainly Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur—and often return home as per provisions of the new policy.
A controversy erupted after Biren Singh suggested that the DG’s statement confirmed the presence of “illegal entrants.” In a post on X, Singh described the influx as “real and ongoing,” calling it reassuring” that biometrics of “illegal entrants” were being collected.
Experts have pushed back, stressing that the term “illegal immigrants” was misleading. “It’s wrong to claim that all of those coming from Myanmar are illegal,” one official said. “If their biometrics and documents are being recorded under protocol, they cannot be considered illegal entrants.”
The Government data shows Mizoram is currently hosting about 33,000 Myanmar refugees, with another 6,000 arriving in July 2025 alone.
READ: Assam Rifles Seizes Drugs Worth ₹10.74 Crore in Mizoram
The DG’s remarks also sparked criticism from tribal groups. Benjamin Mate, chairman of the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights (KOHUR), warned that the statement could be misinterpreted as suggesting all 42,000 had entered Manipur. He demanded a white paper and cautioned that ambiguity could fuel “the agenda of radical Meitei armed militias.”
The Free Movement Regime, which earlier allowed visa-free travel within 16 km on either side of the Indo-Myanmar border, was scrapped in December 2024. Under the new Post-FMR protocol, a Myanmar resident must obtain certification from their village administration, submit biometrics at the entry point, and secure a border pass for the intended duration of stay.
