The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) engaged in a war of words soon after the government clarified on the Rohingya refugee's relocation to EWS (economically weaker section) flats in Delhi. While the AAP alleged a "conspiracy" by the Centre, the BJP said Rohingya refugees are a threat to India's security.
Rohingya refugees to be relocated in Delhi?
Thereafter, the
Union Home Ministry issued a clarification denying any move to shift Rohingya Muslims in Delhi to EWS flats. It also directed the
Delhi government to ensure the "illegal foreigners" remain in detention centres pending their extradition.
The MHA press release said it has already taken up the matter of deportation with the concerned country. It also alleged that the Delhi government has proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location.
AAP alleges conspiracy by Centre
Deputy Chief Minister
Manish Sisodia rejected the Union Home Ministry's claim that it was the Delhi government's proposal. He said the
BJP-led Centre was "secretly" trying to give "permanent residence" to Rohingya refugees in the national capital.
"The Central government, in connivance with the Delhi L-G, has hatched a conspiracy to permanently settle Rohingyas in Delhi," he said. He added that the file noting this issue "clearly" shows how officers were instructed to send the file to the LG, bypassing the elected Government of Delhi, he said.
"The Centre ordered the officers of the Delhi government, Delhi Police, FRRO and forced the Chief Secretary to chair the meeting and take the decision, while ensuring that the elected government of Delhi and its chief minister or the Dy CM in-charge of Home department remain uninformed of the meeting and the decision," he added.
The Kejriwal dispensation will not let this "conspiracy" to illegally settle Rohingyas in Delhi succeed, Sisodiia asserted.
He tweeted in Hindi: “The news that the central government was not tired of telling its achievement in the morning, after being opposed by the Aam Aadmi Party, has now started putting the responsibility on the Delhi government. Whereas it is a fact that the central government was secretly trying to give permanent residence to the Rohingyas in Delhi."
Moreover, the
AAP hit out at the Centre over Hardeep Singh Puri's announcement, calling the move to relocate Rohingyas "a big threat" to the national security and Delhiites. The party said it will not allow it to happen at any cost.
"With the minister's announcement, the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands exposed today. This poses a big threat to the national security and to the Delhiites as well," AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said in a press conference.
Bhardwaj said the prime minister may consider settling them down in any of the BJP-ruled states if he wants. "Give EWS flats, bungalows or whatever you want. We won't allow allocation of flats to them in Delhi at all," he added.
BJP ensures 'no compromise on national security'
BJP's national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia described Rohingyas as a "threat to national security". He said, "(Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal is doing the politics of appeasement keeping the national security at bay."
He further asked why was it that in the meeting held on July 29, chaired by the chief secretary of Delhi, "a hasty decision was taken that all these infiltrators would be shifted to the houses being built for EWS."
"The Modi government has a clear policy that there will be no compromise on national security," he said.
(Edited by : Akriti Anand)
First Published: Aug 18, 2022 11:29 AM IST
