Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Balbir Punj (BJP) sought to know who was behind bringing around 4,000 Myanmar refugees in the national capital and what the government was doing to evict them, while some other members raised objections to their ill-treatment as they belonged to a particular community.
Replying to the concerns, Home Minister P Chidambaram admitted in the Upper House that refugees from Myanmar, who have been living in various cities of India for some time, must not have converged before the UNHRC office in the national capital on April 7 without an orgnaised effort, an issue which is being probed.
Chidambaram said the refugees have been persuaded to go back to places in India from where they had come before April 7 and "except a handful few, all of them have gone back" to those places.
He said that as far sending back the foreigners, who are living in India without valid visas, is concerned, the government has framed guidelines, which include verification of such people from the Foreigner Registration Office (FRO).
"They will have to go back," he said adding that these refugees have neither sought asylum nor have they any valid visa or applied for the same. Punj, however, objected to their being allowed to remain in the country asking, "Is this country a guest house?"
The Home Minister said 700 to 800 families from Myanmar settled in places like Hyderabad, Punjab, Jammu, Meerut, Delhi and Khurja gathered before the UNHRC office on April 7 due to some organised effort to demand Refugee Cards.
He said that perhaps they were misguided by some people that this will help get them facilities available to refugees. (MORE)