A WikiLeaks cable, dated 16 February 2006, authored by a US consulate officer in Kolkata had alleged that then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, campaigning for the May 2006 state Assembly election in Assam, “in a brazen appeal to the Muslims, offered to amend the Foreigners Act to prevent deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants”.

The cable said that the relationship between the Congress party and its traditional vote bank soured in July 2005, when the Supreme Court ruled the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) (IMDT) Act as unconstitutional. It said the Congress supported the act, which made identification, detection and deportation of foreigners in Assam an incredibly complex task, and also protected post-1971 illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

“The Congress has tried to appease the Muslims by not enforcing the Foreigners Act, and in her recent visit, Sonia offered to amend the Act… The Muslim community’s importance has been magnified by a steady influx of Bangladeshi immigrants, and Muslims presently hold 13 Congress seats in the Assembly. Traditionally, Congress had been the party of choice for the Muslims as it protected illegal Bangladeshi migrants from deportation,” the cable said.

But now, with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) throwing up 4 million illegal immigrants after the first phase, the Congress’ response is vague.