After severe criticism on move to shift Rohingyas to EWS flats, Home Ministry denies giving approval
New Delhi: The BJP led Centre has been subjected to severe criticism for neglecting Pakistani Hindu refugees living in poor conditions in tents after Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted lauding its decision to shift 1,100 Rohingya refugees to flats with basic facilities and round-the-clock security.
Netizens came down heavily on the government after the tweet praising the Centre's decision to shift Rohingya refugees to EWS flats.
Terming the government's move as a 'landmark decision', Puri said India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge.
Puri tweeted: "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."
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. @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/E5ShkHOxqE
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 17, 2022
He also said that those people will be disappointed who made a career out of spreading canards on India’s refugee policy deliberately linking it to the CAA.
"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."
Those who made a career out of spreading canards on India’s refugee policy deliberately linking it to #CAA will be disappointed.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 17, 2022
India respects & follows @UN Refugee Convention 1951 & provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed.@MIB_India @NBirenSingh pic.twitter.com/6jyMl9dJ7Q
Even as the sources in the government made it clear that Rohingya refugees are just being shifted, not given ownership of flats in Delhi, according to an India Today report, the criticism for overlooking the living conditions of the Pakistani Hindu refugees continued to pour in.
Author Shefali Vaidya questioned if the government had similar "humanitarian concerns for Hindu refugees from Pakistan".
What about the Hindu refugees from Pakistan rotting in tents without water, power and toilets for years now? Any humanitarian concerns for them?
— Shefali Vaidya. ЁЯЗоЁЯЗ│ (@ShefVaidya) August 17, 2022
Another Twitter user said, "The Rohingyas massacred the Rakhini Hindus."
The Rohingyas massacred the Rakhini Hindus.
— R.S. Bains тЪФя╕ПЁЯз╡ (@HerrBains) August 17, 2022
A Twitter user accused the government of treating Pakistani Hindu refugees with utter neglect. "Meanwhile Pakistani Hindu refugees are living next to a naallah under the signature bridge without any basic facilities or UNHCR IDs or police protection," the post read.
Meanwhile Pakistani Hindu refugees are living next to a naallah under the signature bridge without any basic facilities or UNHCR IDs or police protection. pic.twitter.com/ggGuojgrWJ
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) August 17, 2022
Another said that the government ignored all requests of assistance by some organisations to improve the living conditions of Pakistani Hindu refugees, who some twitteraties claimed have been "left to rot".
— рджрд▓реАрдк рдкрдВрдЪреЛрд▓реАЁЯЗоЁЯЗ│ (@DalipPancholi) August 17, 2022
Tweeting in Hindi, another user slammed the entire system, which he alleged was rooted in corruption, that facilitated illegal immigrants to enter the country.
рдШреБрд╕рдкреИрда рдХрд╛ рдореВрд▓ рдХрд╛рд░рдг рдШреВрд╕рдЦреЛрд░реА рд╣реИ
— Ashwini Upadhyay (@AshwiniUpadhyay) August 17, 2022
рдШреБрд╕рдкреИрдард┐рдпреЗ рд╕реАрдорд╛ рдкрд░ рдШреВрд╕ рджреЗрдХрд░ рдЖрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
рдШреВрд╕ рджреЗрдХрд░ рдЖрдзрд╛рд░ рд░рд╛рд╢рдирдХрд╛рд░реНрдб рдмрдирд╡рд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
рдШреВрд╕ рджреЗрдХрд░ рдЬрдиреНрдо рдкреНрд░рдорд╛рдгрдкрддреНрд░ рдмрдирд╡рд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
рдШреВрд╕ рджреЗрдХрд░ рдбреНрд░рд╛рдЗрд╡рд┐рдВрдЧ рд▓рд╛рдЗрд╕реЗрдВрд╕ рдмрдирд╡рд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
рдШреВрд╕ рджреЗрдХрд░ рдорддрджрд╛рддрд╛ рдкрд╣рдЪрд╛рди рдкрддреНрд░ рдмрдирд╡рд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ
рдШреВрд╕рдЦреЛрд░реА рд░реЛрдХреЗ рдмрд┐рдирд╛ рдШреБрд╕рдкреИрда рдирд╣реАрдВ рд░реБрдХреЗрдЧреА@narendramodi @AmitShah
The decision to shift Rohingya refugees, who are Myanmar nationals, to flats 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 the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the last week of July.
In the high-level meeting, it was emphasised that the Delhi government was paying Rs 7 lakh per month rent for the tents where Rohingyas were shifted in the Madanpur Khadar area following a fire in the camp where they were staying earlier.
While Delhi Police has been instructed to provide security to the premises where the flats are situated, the Delhi government's social welfare department will ensure basic facilities such as fans, three meals, landlines, televisions, and recreational facilities in the new campus.
A Twitter user wrote: "Several Intel reports & HM himself told that Rohingyas r threat to nat'al security, terror!sm breeding ground. Instead of flushing out illegals, its shocking that govt settling them officially. Besides the crime rate (stats proven) it will boost the illegal entries & rehabs too."
Several Intel reports & HM himself told that Rohingyas r threat to nat'al security, terror!sm breeding ground. Instead of flushing out illegals, its shocking that govt settling them officially. Besides the crime rate (stats proven) it will boost the illegal entries & rehabs too. pic.twitter.com/FPQQl1QLzi
— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) August 17, 2022
All Rohingya refugees need the unique ID of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and their details need to be on record with the government.
After the backlash, the Union Home Ministry issued a statement on Twitter with respect to "news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners" that it "has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi".
With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi.
— рдЧреГрд╣рдордВрддреНрд░реА рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрд╛рд▓рдп, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 17, 2022
Illegal foreigners are to be kept in 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.
— рдЧреГрд╣рдордВрддреНрд░реА рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрд╛рд▓рдп, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 17, 2022
However, this explanation failed to silence the netizens as they pointed out that Hardeep Singh Puri was a Cabinet minister and he also tagged the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in his tweet.
But he tagged you ..he is not from media.. He is cabinet minister https://t.co/PTKvFqj1Sc
— Ivaan (@lyfis_memories) August 17, 2022
рдордВрддреНрд░реА рдЬреА рдХрд╛ рдЯреНрд╡рд┐рдЯрд░ рд╣реИрдВрдбрд▓ рдореАрдбрд┐рдпрд╛ рд░рд┐рдкреЛрд░реНрдЯреНрд╕ рдореЗрдВ рдирд╣реАрдВ рдЖрддрд╛ рд╣реИ | рдХреНрдпрд╛ рд╕рд░рдХрд╛рд░ рдЪрд▓рд╛ рд░рд╣реЗ рд╣реИ рдЖрдк рд▓реЛрдЧ ? рдЧреГрд╣ рдордВрддреНрд░рд╛рд▓рдп рдФрд░ рдордВрддреНрд░реА рдХреЗ рдмреАрдЪ рдЬрдм рдХреЛрдИ рд╕рдордиреНрд╡рдп рдирд╣реАрдВ рд╣реИ ?
— Abhishek Tiwary (@abhishektiwary7) August 17, 2022
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