Rohingya Row: Manish Sisodia Urges Centre For A Probe, BJP Accuses AAP Of Giving Freebies To Rohingyas

A day after controversy erupted over the allotment of houses to Rohingyas refugees, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) continue to spar on Thursday, exchanging allegations of extending favours to Rohingyas in Delhi. 

While AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia demanded an impartial investigation into the matter, BJP leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur alleged that Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government was distributing freebies to illegally-settled Rohingyas. 

The controversy began when Union Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said in a tweet that Rohingya refugees will be settled in flats in Delhi. However, the Union Home Ministry clarified later that no order to allot flats to "Rohingya illegal immigrants" has been issued. 

"In a landmark decision all Rohingya refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs and round-the-clock Delhi Police protection," said Puri on Twitter.

The Union Home Mininster distanced itself from the matter and said it was Delhi government that had proposed relocation.

"Government of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. MHA [Ministry of Home Affairs] has directed the Government of Delhi to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will continue at the present location at Kanchan Kunj, Madanpur Khadar as MHA has already taken up the matter of deportation of illegal foreigners with the concerned country through the Ministry of External Affairs," said the Union Home Ministry in a press release. 

Sisodia denied that his government had any involvement in the allotment of flats. He said on Thursday that he has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to order a probe to ascertain on whose instructions the decision to shift Rohingya Muslims to apartments in the national capital was taken.

"We did not take any decision to shift Rohingya Muslims to flats. The Centre also says it didn't. Then who did it?” Sisodia asked and demanded strict action against those behind the decision.

Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said he has also Shah to make clear the Centre's stand on the issue of shifting of Rohingya Muslims.

Sisodia claimed the Union Home Ministry came out with a clarification on the issue on Wednesday only after Puri's tweets on the move to shift Rohingyas was opposed by his AAP and others.

The BJP on Thursday stepped up its attack on the AAP government in Delhi over the issue of Rohingya Muslims and alleged Kejriwal was distributing "revadi" [freebies] to the illegal immigrants and was ready to compromise on national security for vote bank politics.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Thakur said, "Kejriwal is giving free water, electricity, ration to Rohingyas. And the Delhi government is now planning to give them flats. Now they are distributing revadi to them."

Dubbing Kejriwal a "lie minister and not chief minister", Thakur said, "He is speaking blatant lie...Kejriwal and AAP are ready to compromise on national security for vote bank politics. National security is of utmost importance to the BJP. 

Thakur asserted that while the Central government has made it clear several times that illegal immigrants will not be given shelter in Delhi and the government is in talks to send them back to their countries.

"I again want to make it clear that the Home Ministry has categorically stated Rohingya illegal migrants will not be given Indian citizenship. And they will be sent back," Thakur said.

(With PTI inputs)