- Wednesday, March 12, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
As a massive controversy broke over the announcement made by India’s housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday (17) lauding the Narendra Modi government’s decision to shift the Muslim Rohingya refugees to flats meant for the economically weaker sections in Delhi, the country’s home ministry contradicted his claim saying it had not given any instructions to provide flats to the refugees in the capital’s Bakkarwala area.
It also added that the “illegal foreigners will be kept in Detention Centre till their deportation”.
ALSO READ: India explodes as Modi government welcomes Muslim Rohingya refugees
The ministry, which is led by Indian home minister Amit Shah, the second most-powerful man in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party after prime minister Narendra Modi, also proposed the Delhi government to shift the refugees to a new location and not declare the current location as a detention centre.
Modi govt does damage control after facing massive backlash over sheltering Muslim Rohingya refugees
“With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that Ministry of Home Affairs has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi,” the ministry said in a tweet.
“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 as MHA has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the concerned country through MEA,” it said in another post.
In a third tweet, the ministry said, “Illegal foreigners are to be kept in Detention Centre 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.”
With respect to news reports in certain sections of media regarding Rohingya illegal foreigners, it is clarified that Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not given any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in New Delhi.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 17, 2022
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 as MHA has already taken up the matter of their deportation with the concerned country through MEA.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 17, 2022
Illegal foreigners are to be kept in Detention Centre 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.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 17, 2022
Earlier, Puri said, “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 Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock @DelhiPolice protection.”
“Those who made a career out of spreading canards on India’s refugee policy deliberately linking it to #CAA will be disappointed. India respects & follows @UN Refugee Convention 1951 & provides refuge to all, regardless of their race, religion or creed,” he said in another tweet.
According to reports, around 1,100 Rohingya refugees staying in tents were set to be shifted to flats equipped with basic facilities with all-time security.
It was reported that the decision on the Rohingyas was taken following a high-level meeting chaired by the chief secretary of Delhi which was attended by senior officials of the government of Delhi, the city’s police and the home ministry.
BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga said in a tweet that there is no move to rehabilitate Rohingya and said that they should wait till the official clarification.
There is no move to rehabilitate Rohingyas as is being talked about. Wait for official clarification.
— Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga (@TajinderBagga) August 17, 2022
The social media was not convinced with the contradictory statements made by ministers and ministries of the same government and here are some reactions that were seen:
U-Turn ho gaya hai, ab yeh tweet delete kar do. It's ok….hota hai kabhi kabhi. (Mai yeh tweet delete kar dunga) https://t.co/CjXGDT1CuN
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) August 17, 2022
— Rajeev thakur (@rajeevhmr1) August 17, 2022
@HardeepSPuri is not section of Media
He is ministerOne more attempt of damage control
— Frodo Baggins (@Frodo_Baggins_9) August 17, 2022
Certain section of media ?..
I guess Amit Shah is mocking his own minister ??? https://t.co/5Iet3sHOb8 pic.twitter.com/y5xRnGjtL8— Bhavika Kapoor ✋ (@kap_bee) August 17, 2022
BJP’s double standard politcs?
“Rohingyas will never be accepted in India”- Union Minister Amit shah in 2019
“We will give free flat and police protection to Rohingyas” – Union Minister Hardeep Singh puri in 2022#ShameOnBJPGOVT @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/nNA3qZ8TXo
— Enugu Bharath Reddy (@BharathReddyTRS) August 17, 2022
