New Delhi [India], September 5 (ANI): Supporting the ongoing eviction drives against the illegal immigrants in India, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Mahmood Madani on Friday emphasised that no 'foreigner' or 'Bangladeshi' citizen should stay in India.

However, he also criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the issue, stating that he is projecting every Muslim as 'Bangladeshi.'

'No Bangladeshi, foreigner should be staying in India...He (Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma) is projecting every Muslim as Bangladeshi...He is talking about sending me to Bangladesh, which shows his mentality...He (Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma) claims that he is a hero and I am zero,' Madani told ANI in an interview.

He further mentioned that forced immigration is being carried out in Assam ahead of the elections; meanwhile, the Supreme Court guidelines are also not being followed on the issue. Madani further criticised the Assam government for diverting the attention of common people from unemployment and corruption.

'In Assam, the guidelines of the Supreme Court are being deliberately ignored and forced eviction is being carried out as the elections are approaching. They (Assam government) don't want questions to be raised on unemployment, corruption and want to divert attention from the real issues. They want to make this a matter of a particular community and this was my complaint with them (Assam government), the drive should be carried out following the guidelines...There is a process to deport the Bangladeshis, which is not being followed in the eviction area,' he said.

Madani also addressed the level of political language in the present time. He said that these issues are not important at present, and even PM Modi doesn't pay attention to them.

'Even the Prime Minister does not pay attention to it...We all should exercise restraint and even the PM is not mindful of this,' he said.

Earlier, Maulana Madani visited Assam and spoke out against the government's methods, calling them 'unfortunate and painful.'

'Eviction drive is being carried out in the state...Seeing the manner in which it is being done here is saddening. If you visit and see this, see the system, you will be saddened. I was pained, especially because communities and countries are formed under a system. If anything is done in violation of the system, if it is overlooked and trampled on is unfortunate and painful. The more it is condemned, the less it is,' Madani said while addressing the media.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma however refuted Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Mahmood Madani's claims.

'Who is Madani? Is Madani God? Madani's bravery exists if there is Congress. There is no evidence of Madani's bravery during the BJP's time. If he does too much, I will send Madani to jail. I am the CM, not Madani,' CM Sarma said. (ANI)