Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on March 11 announced that government would initiate appropriate action following a detailed probe against foreign nationals, who have illegally acquired ration cards and enrolled themselves in the voting lists.

The Chief Minister's assurance came during the Question Hour in the legislative Assembly, when Shiv Sena – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vociferously demanded stringent action against foreigners staying in an unauthorised way in the metropolis.

However, the saffron combine Opposition staged a walkout, claiming that the government's reply was not "satisfactory".

Earlier, discussing the question raised by Dagdu Sapkal (Sena) and others, the entire House expressed serious concern over the burgeoning population of migrants in Mumbai and consequent strain on city's civic amenities.

Shinde said the government "is very rigid as far as foreigners staying unauthorisedly in the city".

He stated that during a national level meeting on internal security, he had demanded simplification of Deportation Act.

"We have sought simplification of the Act, so that foreigners staying illegally can be deported back," the Chief Minister informed the House. The Home department had recently sent a reminder to the Union government in this regard, he added.

BJP leader Gopinath Munde, however, demanded that the government should initiate a special action plan to deport illegal foreign nationals, who have acquired ration cards and enrolled themselves in the voters' list.

PTI