No EWS Flats For Illegal Rohingya Migrants, MHA Clarifies After Puri Tweet Leads To Confusion

In a series of tweets, the Centre clarified it has not given any direction to shift the Rohingya refugees to a new location.

Amid the ongoing hue and cry over providing EWS flats benefits to Rohingya Muslims in Delhi, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday made it clear that it has not given any directions to provide houses to such illegal refugees at Bakkarwala area in the national capital. According to reports, the ministry has even asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government to ensure that all such illegal foreigners remain at their present location.

The Home Ministry also pointed out that Delhi government has not declared the location where the illegal migrants have been shift as "detention centre" and directed them to do so immediately.

"With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that the MHA has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi," MHA tweeted.

Rejecting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposal to shift the Rohingya Muslims to a new location, MHA asked it to ensure that all illegal migrants remain at their present location as it has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the country concerned through the Ministry of External Affairs.

"The illegal foreigners are to be kept in the 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 said.

The clarification comes after Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said that the  Rohingya refugees will be shifted to newly constructed EWS flats by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in Bakkarwala area in the capital city and will also be provided basic amenities and police protection. 

"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 Delhi Police protection," Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted earlier in the day.