After Puri’s Tweet, MHA Says No EWS Flats to Rohingyas; Refugees to be at Detention Centres till Deportation

The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday clarified that it has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya refugees in New Delhi’s Bakkarwala and added that the “illegal foreigners will be kept in Detention Centre till their deportation.” The ministry also proposed the Delhi government to shift the refugees to a new location and not declare the present location as a detention centre.

“With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that Ministry of Home Affairs has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi,” the ministry said in a tweet.

The statement comes after reports quoted officials saying that around 1,100 Rohingya refugees staying in tents will be shifted into flats equipped with basic facilities and round-the-clock security.

According to the report, the decision was taken after a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary of Delhi and attended by senior officials of the Delhi government, Delhi Police and Ministry of Home Affairs.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs today said that the illegal foreigners will be kept in detention centres and added that the Delhi government, which has not declared the present location as a detention centre, has been directed to do so immediately.

Earlier on Wednesday, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had lauded the centre’s decision to shift the Rohingya refugees to EWS flats. Puri also said that India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country and termed the move a landmark decision.

“India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision all #Rohingya #Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock @DelhiPolice protection,” Puri said in a tweet.

“Those who made a career out of spreading canards on India’s refugee policy deliberately linking it to #CAA will be disappointed. India respects & follows @UN Refugee Convention 1951 & provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed,” Puri said in another tweet.

Later in the evening, Puri, however, clarified his earlier tweet by posting the MHA’s official statement.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), meanwhile, strongly objected to the reports of the resettlement of the Rohingya refugees, saying that arrangements should be made “to push them (refugees) out of Bharat”.

“We might remind Mr Puri the statement made by the Union Home Minister Sh Amit Shah in Parliament on 10.12.2020 declaring that Rohingyas will never be accepted in India,” the statement released by the right-wing group.

BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga clarified that there was no move to rehabilitate Rohingya and said that they should wait till the official clarification.

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