Accredited refugees

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds the charge of the Home Department, while replying to a question of a legislator, disclosed on the floor of the House that 5743 Rohingyas have been staying at various places in Jammu and Samba districts. These people had started coming and settling in Jammu as early as 2011 after Myanmar was faced with internal turmoil. Although they are in Jammu for more than six years, nobody in the Government ever asked how the Government allowed non-state subjects to settle down in Jammu. This issue should have been raised by the Police and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu and the DCs of Jammu and Samba districts.
The Chief Minister said that they were living at Bhatindi and Samba but avoided disclosing full details about their departure from their native land and arrival in Jammu.
The event gives rise to many questions. After departing from their country, they moved on to cross border clandestinely and enter Indian Territory. They did not choose to stay in Malda district of West Bengal which is the bastion of Bangladeshi Muslim migrants. They moved across Bihar, Odisha, UP, Delhi, Punjab and settled down in Jammu after traversing thousands of miles and avoiding detection by the border and security authorities at numerous places. Why did they not choose to move to other regions where social atmosphere was more helpful? These are searching questions. We have the hunch that the movement of these people from their homes in Burma to far off Jammu is a under a well thought of plan. Their handlers could be from outside the country. It is not just a matter of refugees and humanism. Selection of two places in Jammu where they are settled is also of much significance. Samba is close to border with Pakistan and a number of attempts have been made by Pakistani terrorists to force infiltration from Samba border. Bhatindi, too, has logistic significance. Some seminaries and NGOs are reported to be providing them financial assistance and the Government is aware of it. This means the Government has compromised with the State Subject Rule in this case. It could lead to security threat.
We recommend that higher security agencies and Home Ministry order through probe into the clandestine entry of these non-state subjects and their staying back without the law making its presence felt.

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