Describing the illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants as "ticking time bombs" in the country, the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today accused the government of dilly-dallying in deporting them and sought their immediate eviction from the state.
The JKNPP made the demand for deportation of illegal immigrants from the state "without any delay on any pretext" while holding a huge demonstration here today and asked the government, "Don't talk, just act.
Claiming "a brewing public anger against the illegal immigrants in the state," the JKNPP activists resorted to sloganeering against both the BJP government in the Centre and the previous PDP-led coalition government in the state "for turning a blind eye" to the illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants settled in the Jammu region of the state.
During the demonstration led by their party chairman Harsh Dev Singh, the activists demanded a concrete and speedy action plan from the BJP-ruled Centre for deporting the illegal immigrants to their native countries.
Addressing the media later, Singh claimed that each time the deportation of illegal immigrants was demanded, the Union Home Ministry came out with a stereotype reply that the states have been asked to carry out their enumeration and collect their biometric details.
He said the MHA, in its latest reply to Parliament on the issue of deportation of illegal immigrants, has said the Ministry of External Affairs too was being involved in the process.
It amply suggests that no action has been initiated till date to evict the illegally- settled foreigners from the state, he said.
Describing the illegal immigrants, specially the Rohingyas as "ticking time bombs" in the country and the biggest threat to the communal harmony and composite culture of the Jammu region, Singh said it needed to be probed as to how they were allowed to settle here in Jammu and were provided various facilities despite the government considering them illegal immigrants.
Singh said despite their proven links with the militant outfits and their suspected roles in various terror attacks, the Union government and the previous PDP-BJP government in the state have "not responded to the alarming situation" which has "vitiated the peace and caused public resentment" in the entire region.
Despite several directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the BJP in the coalition government here remained dormant and turned a blind eye to the issue "to please its Kashmir-centric ally for the greed of power."
The JKNPP chairman said while a Group of Ministers (GoM) set up by the previous government in the Centre to take measures to deport illegal foreigners turned defunct, a judicial commission proposed by the BJP "to tackle the malady" too has remained a non-starter.
"The previous BJP-PDP government too remained apathetic to the issue of deportation of these foreign immigrants despite the wide-spread public outrage against them," said Singh, adding that "all the purported moves of the government have turned out to be mere window dressings to hoodwink the people."
Taking a dig at the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State Kiren Rijiju over their alleged inaction and stereotype answers on the issue, Singh asked, "Why was it taking so much time by the MHA to retrieve the information on the number of Rohingyas?"
"When will you identify them and deport them to Myanmar?" he asked, pointing out that it was well known that India is not a signatory to the United Nation Refugee Convention.
He rued the government's alleged inaction over the matter, saying "it has also been accepted that the J&K had the largest population of these 'ticking time bombs' in the country."
Accusing the illegal immigrants of being involved in a slew of illegal activities and penal offences ranging from narco smuggling and human trafficking to abductions and various sacrilegious acts, the JKNPP chairman asked, "What's the hitch in deporting them back?"
"Don't talk, just act, Harsh told the government.
Accusing all the major political parties of the state - the PDP, the BJP, the NC and the Congress - of facilitating Rohingyas settlement in the State, Singh said even the previous PDP-BJP govt did not have any qualms in providing civic amenities to them.
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