Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Senior BJP leader and ex-Deputy CM, Kavinder Gupta today called upon the Central Government to take immediate steps for the deportation of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, who are illegally settled in Jammu peripheries, as they are most vulnerable to the spread of deadly Coronavirus. “As Rohingyas and Bangladeshis are mainly associated with the Rehri and hawking business, there is every likelihood that they can spread the virus to the localities they visit to sell their products,” he added.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic which has brought whole world to a stand-still, Union Government should forthwith work out for deporting of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis from Jammu & Kashmir illegally putting up here to save local residents, Gupta said.
“The demographic and security threat posed by them has reached a boiling point as these people are most vulnerable to the spread of Coronavirus, as many of these Rohingyas are associated with the Rehri and hawking business,” he asserted.
Such persons need to be identified who are selling eatables to the residents boosting a chance of spread of virus. Gupta alleged that a well-funded and politically-backed conspiracy to settle them across the province and trigger Hindu migration, as already reported from some villages.
“In November 2017, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)visited at least five Rohingya habitations in Jammu and asked them to leave, promising funds to settle them elsewhere. They refused, saying they won’t leave as they are used to Jammu and know everyone over here. That, in a nutshell, sums up their comfort levels in Hindu-majority Jammu, as opposed to living with their co-religionists elsewhere,” the BJP leader said.
“Groups advocating accommodation of the Rohingyas in India fail to consider the burden they are bound to put on India’s strained national resources including the overall socio-economic indicators such as public health, employment, crime, rehabilitation of internally displaced etc. Jammu and Kashmir should learn lessons from illegal migration into Assam from Bangladesh. The influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants into Assam is posing a serious security threat to the Assamese identity. It has adversely affected the social, economic and political environment of the State, creating law and order problems, particularly in areas where immigrants are present in large numbers,” he added.
Keeping in mind the critical geography of the State and its sensitive communal environment – it is necessary that New Delhi treads carefully and explores all the alternatives before arriving at any long-term solution to the issue, Gupta added.
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