India In Talks With Bangladesh To Deport Rohingyas, Rajnath Singh Informs Rajya Sabha

Home Minister Rajnath Singh informed Rajya Sabha that the government was in talks with Bangladesh over deportation of Rohingyas who were illegally staying in India, The Economic Times has reported. Singh was responding to a question raised by Congress MP Anand Sharma.

While highlighting that there was a discussion between the foreign ministries of India and Bangladesh on the matter, Rajnath added that states had been sent an advisory about the Rohingya refugees. The states have been asked to identify, number and collect bio-metrics of illegal immigrants.

"The states have been asked also to ensure that they left with no documents so that they can claim for citizenship in future," the Home Minister said.

Reports received from states would be sent to External Affairs Ministry. The External Affairs Minister would then talk to Myanmar and Bangladesh regarding the deportations, he added.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju said that the government had powers to deport illegal immigrants under the Foreigners Act 1946. He added that the government recognises Rohingyas as illegal immigrants. Further, Rijiju mentioned that they have been living in Jammu, western Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Delhi and Jaipur. However he refused to give any assurances because the government was dealing with sovereign nations to resolve the matter.

While speaking on the 52 Bangladeshi immigrants who were identified for deportation, Rijiju said that the Bangladesh government had accepted that they were its citizens. He added that these Bangladeshis would be deported from Mankacher Integrated Check Post on 30 July.