What about undocumented Indians living abroad: Manish Tewari on BJP's ‘Rohingya threat to nation’ comment

New Delhi, Aug 18: Citing a media article that quoted a BJP leader saying "Rohingya are a threat to national security," Congress MP Manish Tewari asked, if Rohingyas are a threat to India, then "what about thousands of undocumented Indians floating around developed nations."

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Congress leader wrote,"If all illegal immigrants are a threat to any nation's security then what about thousands of undocumented Indians floating around US, Europe and other developed nations? Tragedy of Rohingya people is heart-rendering. They are fleeing persecution, rape and genocide."

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party's national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia described Illegal Rohingyas as a "threat to national security" and said, "Arvind Kejriwal is doing the politics of appeasement keeping the national security at bay."

Bhatia 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." He said there were news reports in which the facts were "meant to mislead the public. The Ministry of Home Affairs has clarified that."

He further said "the law of our country says that Rohingyas will be deported and this jurisdiction lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs." The Modi government has a clear policy that there will be no compromise on national security, he said.

Facing flak over the Rohingya issue, the BJP on Wednesday asserted that the illegal migrants are a "threat" to national security and that the Modi government will never compromise on the issue.

The BJP's reaction came after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri's tweet that Rohingya refugees will be shifted to apartments in the city.

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 the east Delhi's Bakkarwala area.

Thereafter, the Union Home Ministry issued a clarification denying any move to shift Rohingya Muslims in Delhi to economically weaker section (EWS) flats and directed the Delhi government to ensure the "illegal foreigners" remain in detention centres pending their extradition.