AAP, BJP trade charges on Rohingyas; Kejriwal, Atishi accuse Centre of 'settling' illegal migrants
New Delhi, Dec 15: The blame game between AAP and the BJP over the issue of illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants in Delhi intensified Sunday with Arvind Kejriwal accusing the Centre of "settling" them here and "failing" to secure the country's borders.
The BJP hit back, alleging the AAP was peddling "false narratives" in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly polls and asking its national convener Kejriwal the "reason for sheltering these criminals".
In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi targeted Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over his old tweets, alleging that settling "a large number of illegal Rohingyas" here was a "conscious decision" of the BJP-led NDA government while the minister accused AAP of indulging in "politics of diversion and half-truths".
Rohingyas and Bangladeshis illegally settling in the national capital has become a major issue in the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections due in February 2025.
The BJP had approached the Election Commission alleging that these illegal immigrants have been registered as voters in Delhi "at the behest of AAP".
The AAP supremo, in a statement, questioned why the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre settling Rohingyas in the national capital and robbing Delhiites of their rights and resources.
Referring to a purported remark of the Union home minister about the responsibility of governments in border states to stop infiltration, Kejriwal said, "If Amit Shah says states are now responsible for border security, is the Central government admitting its failure to protect India's borders?"
Citing two tweets by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in 2022, Atishi alleged the Centre has settled a large number of illegal Rohingyas in different parts of the city by keeping the people and the Government of Delhi in the dark.
"This seems to be going on for the past several years. On August 17, 2022, Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri published two tweets that clearly show that it is a 'conscious decision and policy' of the BJP government to settle these refugees in Delhi," she alleged in the letter to Shah.
"From the post of Puri, it seems they were settled into EWS (Economically Backward Class) flats of Bakkarwala. These flats were meant for the poor people of Delhi. It appears that the rights and facilities meant for the people of Delhi are being given away to migrants," Atishi said.
Puri hit back with an X post on Sunday saying, "Aam Aadmi Party continues with its politics of diversion, false narratives and half-truths. Facts and actual position on illegal Rohingya migrants were immediately clarified through a tweet on the same day which they selectively chose to ignore, and continue to do so."
"No Rohingya migrant has been given a government house in Delhi. In fact, contrary to the drummed-up AAP rhetoric, they are actually the ones who play host to the illegal Rohingyas in Delhi, settle them in large numbers, give them electricity and water, and even pay them Rs 10,000," he alleged.
Atishi claimed the Rohingya migrants in Delhi would not just cause law-and-order problems for Delhiites but also "take away their jobs" and strain the city's limited resources.
Citing media reports, she claimed thousands of Rohingya migrants were crossing the India-Bangladesh border every day without any hindrance.
"This shows how the BJP government has completely failed to protect our borders. If this situation continues, is our country in a position to handle such a large number of refugees? The answer is NO. Then why is the BJP government not doing anything to stop this illegal migration?" she asked Shah.
The Delhi chief minister also asked how the immigrants, after crossing the international border, managed to reach Delhi thousands of kilometres away.
"Were these illegal immigrants transported to different parts of India by the BJP government in a systematic manner by keeping the people of India in the dark? How many Rohingyas did you transport and relocate to Delhi?" she posed.
Atishi said it was "most shocking" that the BJP-led Centre "settled" these Rohingyas in different parts of Delhi while the "party-appointed" lieutenant governor directed the Delhi Police to conduct a door-to-door survey to identify Rohingyas.
Last week, the Delhi LG Secretariat directed the chief secretary and police commissioner of Delhi to launch a two-month special drive to identify and take strict action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants residing in the national capital.
She demanded Shah provide a complete list of Rohingyas settled in Delhi and emphasised that no illegal refugees should be settled in the city in future without consulting the people and the Delhi government.
However, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP leaders of "peddling diversionary tactics and false narratives".
"In fact, it is the AAP that has facilitated the settlement of illegal Rohingya migrants in large numbers, providing them with electricity, water, and even financial support since they are their vote banks," he charged.
The Aam Aadmi Party has "consistently sheltered" illegal immigrants to secure their "votes" and now they are attempting to create false narratives as it was exposed by the BJP, Sachdeva alleged.
He also said it is shameful that in addition to "betraying" the people of Delhi with their constant "lies and corruption", now they are also "sheltering" illegal immigrants just "to fuel their hunger for power".
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Karnataka Muslim Convention to be held in Bengaluru on May 16
Muslim organisations to release report on Congress govt’s three-year performance
Bengaluru: Major Muslim organisations and federations in Karnataka have decided to organise a large public convention titled ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16. During the convention, a comprehensive report reviewing the three-year performance of the Congress government under the theme “What did the Congress government promise? What did it do? What next?” will be released.
According to a statement issued on Friday, no politicians will be invited to the convention. The report will be submitted to the government and all MLAs after the event.
The convention is being held at a time when the Congress government is nearing the completion of three years in office on May 20. Muslim organisations have expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that despite extending strong support to the Congress in bringing it to power, the community is being neglected.
The Convention is being organised at time when there are concerns over inadequate political representation for Muslims, alleged neglect of community demands, and the suspension of senior Muslim leaders who had worked for the party for decades.
The organisers said the convention aims to raise questions on what the Congress government has delivered so far and what further steps are expected from the government.
The decision to hold the convention was taken during a meeting held on May 6 at A J International Hotel in Shivajinagar, Bengaluru. Representatives of major Muslim organisations, associations, ulema bodies, federations, and members of the ad hoc committee of Karnataka Rajya Muslim Okkoota attended the meeting.
More than 75 representatives and delegates, including senior ulemas, jamaat leaders, lawyers, retired officials, journalists and members of the KRMO ad hoc committee, participated in the discussions.
Members of the KRMO ad hoc committee’s report preparation team and experts from different sectors presented a detailed report on the Congress government’s three-year performance. The report examined promises made to Muslims on ten major issues, the extent to which they were fulfilled, pending promises, alleged discrimination in representation, and the demands now being placed before the government.
The report covered issues such as the hijab ban, reservation cancellation, hate speech and hate crimes, budget allocation, political representation, waqf matters, the anti-cow slaughter law, anti-conversion law, scholarships and educational grants.
Participants offered suggestions and recommendations on various points, and necessary corrections to the report were accepted after detailed discussions.
The meeting also reportedly expressed strong dissatisfaction over the manner in which the Congress government has treated the Muslim community. Participants are said to have opined that if the government and the Congress party continue in the same manner, the community should keep its political options open.
It was later decided that the report would be officially released at the large public convention on May 16 under the title “Karnataka Muslim Convention – What did the Congress government promise? What did it do? What next?”
The organisers appealed to people from all districts of the state to participate in large numbers and send a strong message to the government and the Congress party through the convention.
They also decided that all organisations, jamaats and associations should work towards ensuring participation from every district in Karnataka.
The statement reiterated that no politicians would be invited to the May 16 convention and that the report on the Congress government’s three-year performance would be submitted to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs after the event.
