By Vijaita Singh / The hindu
Months after Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on micro blogging site Twitter that it has directed the Delhi Government to declare the “present location” of Rohingya “illegal foreigners” in Delhi a detention centre, the Ministry said in an RTI reply that the information is “secret.”
On August 17, Union Housing minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s tweeted that Rohingya refugees will be shifted to small flats adding that “India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country.” He said that India respects the United Nations Refugee Convention 1951 and provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed. Following severe critcism on social media by right-wing groups including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), MHA issued a clarification on Twitter saying no such directions have been given to provide EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats to “Rohingya illegal migrants” at Bakkarwala in Delhi.
MHA said it was the Delhi government’s proposal to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. The August 17 tweet added that the Ministry has directed the Delhi government that Rohingyas will continue at the present location pending deportation as MHA has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the concerned country through Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). “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,” MHA’s tweet said.
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