BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Thursday said the entire country and not any particular region needed to take responsibility of those driven out of neighbouring countries.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader drew a distinction between those "who were forced to leave their country and come to India" and infiltrators, saying the latter aimed to "destroy our country".
"I strongly feel that India is a sovereign nation... it belongs to all Indians. It can never tolerate infiltration of foreigners. Those who have infiltrated are trying to ruin our country.
"But those who have been forced to leave their country and flee to India, they have no mothers apart from India. India has to take care of these children of hers," he said at an election rally here.
Modi said it was not necessary that Assam, West Bengal, or Darjeeling had to take responsibility of those driven out from other countries.
"The entire country has to take their responsibility. Some can go to Gujarat, some to Rajasthan. They must get their bread there. Because they are our sons and daughters."
Siliguri lies close to the country's borders with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Infiltration from Bangladesh, with which West Bengal shares a large border, has been a major issue in the state over the years.
