On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs led by Home Minister Amit Shah clarified that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will not be given EWS flats in Delhi. “Govt of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. Illegal foreigners are to be kept in Detention Centre till their deportation as per law”, the HMO said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated on August 17 that it has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants. “Govt of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. MHA has directed the GNCTD to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will continue at the present location at Kanchan Kunj and Madanpur Khadar as MHA has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the concerned country through MEA”, the HMO tweeted.
It added that the illegal foreigners are to be kept in Detention centers till their deportation as per law. “The Government of Delhi has not declared the present location as a Detention Centre. They have been directed to do the same immediately”, it noted.
Basically, the MHA asserted that the claims of shifting Rohingyas to EWS flats and giving them refugee cards are not true. It made clear that Rohingyas are ‘illegal foreigners’ illegally staying in India, and they will be deported, not be given refugee status.
Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri had tweeted that Rohingyas will be given EWS flats and UNHCR IDs
This is hours after Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that all the 1100 Rohingya illegal foreigners would be provided with accommodation (EWS flats) and round-the-clock protection. “India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision, all Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in the Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs, and round-the-clock Delhi Police protection”, tweeted Puri.
As reported earlier, the tweet made by Minister Hardeep Singh Puri gave an impression that India, which has so far considered Rohingya Muslims as illegal immigrants was warming up to the idea of treating them as refugees. Pertinently, while Hardeep Puri said that India “respects and follows UN Refugee Convention 1951” and “provides refuge to all”, India is not a signatory to the UN Convention at all. Given that India is not a signatory to the UN Convention, it is important to understand that India is not legally obligated to consider any section as “refugees” even if they hold a refugee card.