No flats to Rohingya refugees, home ministry office clarifies in a series of tweets
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed in his tweet about the allocation of EWS flats in Delhi to Rohingya refugees. Later in the evening, the Home Ministry clarified that no such allocation had taken place.
Earlier on Wednesday, Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that Rohingya refugees will be allocated EWS (Economic Weaker Section) flats in south-west Delhi’s Bakkarwala.
Puri in his tweet, said, “Those who made a career out of spreading canards on India’s refugee policy deliberately linking it to #CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) will be disappointed. India respects & follows @UN Refugee Convention 1951 & provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed.”
Then in another tweet in his twitter thread he wrote, “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.” He also put up a screenshot of a news article claiming the same.
Puri’s tweets stirred up a controversy drawing reaction from both ends of the political spectrum; right and left. Some people believing the tweets to be true, criticized the government’s action of giving ‘Illegal Rohingya’ refugees flats but not caring about Pakistani Hindu refugees or Kashmiri Pandit refugees.
People on the left appreciated the government’s plan of providing the refugees proper homes.
Later in the evening in a series of tweets, the Home Ministry clarified that no such orders have been passed to allocate EWS flats to the refugees in Bakkarwala, Delhi.
The tweet further read, “Govt of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. MHA has directed the GNCTD to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will continue at the present location as MHA has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the concerned country through 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.” The Home ministry office tweeted.
