Raina takes ‘U-turn’ on deporting Rohingya

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 3

After demanding deportation of Rohingyas living in Jammu for the last one decade, the state unit of the BJP on Friday took a ‘U-turn’ on the issue, saying the Centre will take the matter with the Myanmar government.

“We are hopeful that the Union Government will take up the matter with the Myanmar so that Rohingyas living in Jammu will be sent back to their native place,” state president of the BJP Ravinder Raina told reporters on the sideline of a function.

Interestingly, Raina vociferously stated there should be difference between infiltrators and refugees, but he avoided the question when asked whether Rohingyas are refugees or infiltrators.

For years together the BJP has been demanding deportation of Rohingyas living in Jammu. Within hours after passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in Parliament on December 11, 2019, the BJP had demanded immediate deportation of “illegally” settled Rohingya nationals from Jammu. More than 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladesh nationals, are settled in Jammu and Samba districts, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016, according to government data.

“Rohingyas along with other illegally immigrated foreign nationals of a particular community should be sent back to their origin countries,” BJP leaders had stated while celebrating passing of the CAB.

In the past also, the BJP, the JKNPP), the VHP and other social organisations have also demanded their repatriation.

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