Hardeep Singh Puri vs Home Ministry on Rohingyas – Clear case of lack of coordination
In a clear case of lack of coordination, hours after Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri rejoiced on giving refugee status to Rohingyas and allotting 1100 flats in Delhi, Union Home Ministry came down heavily on the Minister’s tweet and confirmed that such a decision was taken to a lot of flats and termed that Rohingyas as illegal foreigners, waiting to be deported. Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and many right-wing organizations blamed Puri for his Wednesday morning tweet and asked the Centre to change the decision and deport Rohingyas.
“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 the Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock Delhi Police protection.
“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,” tweeted Puri at 7:30 am, approving UN Refugee Convention, which is not yet approved by India.
With criticism coming out from all quarters, by 3 pm Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a terse statement and series of tweets rejecting Puri’s claims. Interestingly MHA out blame “news reports in certain sections of media” for the goof-up created by Urban Development Minister Puri. “With respect to news reports in certain sections of the media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi. The Government of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. MHA has directed the Government of Delhi to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will continue at the present location at Kanchan Kunj, Madanpur Khadar as MHA has already taken up the matter of deportation of illegal foreigners with the concerned country through the Ministry of External Affairs.
“Illegal foreigners are to be kept in the Detention Centre till their deportation as per law. The Government of Delhi has not declared the present location as a Detention Centre. They have been directed to do the same immediately,” said MHA in a statement titled as “Rohingya illegal foreigners”.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must sack the “rock and roll social parties addict” Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri immediately.
The rock and roll social parties addict & Urban Affairs Modi’s Minister Hardip Puri should be sacked from the Ministry for his violation of national interests by ordering building of apartments for Rohingyas. BJP’s Hindutva has suffered.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 17, 2022
Earlier VHP in a scathing attack on Puri’s statement urged the Centre to reverse the decision and as early as possible deport Rohingyas back to Myanmar. “We are shocked to see a statement of Hardeep Puri, the Union Minister for Urban Development terming the Rohingyas as refugees and allotting them the EWS flats in Delhi. We might remind Puri of the statement by the Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament on December 10, 2020, declaring that Rohingyas will never be accepted in India,” said VHP President Alok Kumar urging the Centre to deport the Rohingyas immediately. VHP Tweeted:
Press Statement:
Instead of Housing Rohingyas, push them out of Bharat: Alok Kumar pic.twitter.com/pv6Yl3Cele— Vishva Hindu Parishad -VHP (@VHPDigital) August 17, 2022
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