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?

A controversy stirred on Wednesday when Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri put out a tweet saying India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country and all Rohingya refugees would be shifted to EWS flats in East Delhi's Bakkarwala area.

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.@MIB_India @NBirenSingh pic.twitter.com/6jyMl9dJ7Q— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 17, 2022

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.

Rohingya Illegal Foreigners

Press release-https://t.co/eDjb9JK1u1 pic.twitter.com/uKduPd1hRR— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) August 17, 2022

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.

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"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.

केंद्र सरकार सुबह सुबह जिस खबर को अपनी उपलब्धि बताती नहीं थक रही थी, आम आदमी पार्टी द्वारा विरोध किए जाने पर , अब इसकी ज़िम्मेदारी दिल्ली सरकार पर डालने लगी है.जबकि हक़ीक़त है कि केंद्र सरकार चोरी छुपे रोहँगियाओं को दिल्ली में स्थाई ठिकाना देने की कोशिश कर रही थी. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/rhdPlKZSJZ

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 17, 2022

"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.

Rohingyas के लिए BJP का षड्यंत्र!

दिल्ली के Chief Secretary, Delhi Police के साथ Meeting में Written Note में दिया गया Instruction-Home Ministry की File दिल्ली के मंत्री को नहीं भेजी जाएगीChief Secretary के बाद File Bypass कर सीधे LG के पास जाएगी—@Saurabh_MLAgk pic.twitter.com/a1PEgkjD5D— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 17, 2022

"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."

रोहिंग्या घुसपैठिए भारत की सुरक्षा के लिए खतरा हैं।

लेकिन अरविंद केजरीवाल राष्ट्र सुरक्षा को ताक पर रखकर तुष्टिकरण की राजनीति कर रही है।अभी कुछ समय पहले ऐसी समाचार रिपोर्ट आईं, जिसमें जो तथ्य थे वो जनता को गुमराह करने के लिए थे।उस पर गृह मंत्रालय ने स्पष्टीकरण दिया है। pic.twitter.com/uGIzLuhGzn— BJP (@BJP4India) August 17, 2022

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