Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 3: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi today held high-level review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir along with heads of civil and police administration of the State in the Union capital with major focus on Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals, numbering around 10,000, who have been illegally settled in Jammu and had potential of becoming major security threat.
Today’s meeting, which was attended by Chief Secretary BR Sharma and Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Shesh Pal Vaid came just four days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence-cum-Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh among others had detailed review of situation including illegal settlement of Rohingyas in Jammu and Samba districts with number of organizations coming out openly in favour of their removal from here.
Sources told the Excelsior that the meeting discussed legal way out of settlement of around 10,000 Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in Jammu and Samba districts amidst Intelligence inputs that they could become potential security threat in the State, which was already facing militancy for past over two and half decades.
“One of the options discussed in the meeting was deportation of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis up to the border of Myanmar and Bangladesh respectively but there were fears that the two foreign countries might not allow their citizens to enter forcing them to return to Jammu or any other part of the country,” sources said but added that for taking such a bold decision, the permission of the State Government was mandatory.
Noting that the issue was of very serious nature with the Union Home Ministry concurring with the view of Intelligence agencies that the Rohingyas could be exploited by the militants and other such elements, sources said the Centre could directly take up the issue with the State Government and request for deportation of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis out of Jammu.
Sources said it was decided in the meeting that security audit of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis would be undertaken immediately in both Jammu and Samba districts to get their exact number, nationality, time of settlement and other details.
“The audit would be launched very soon and completed shortly after which further necessary action against these illegal border immigrants would be discussed and initiated,” sources said.
They said the Chief Secretary and the State police chief gave their view point on Rohingyas to the Union Home Secretary including the options, which were available before them to get rid of this menace, especially at a time when there was strong unrest among the people of Jammu against these foreigners.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last month sought a detailed report from Jammu and Kashmir Government on settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in Jammu.
More than 10,000 Rohingya Muslims belonging to Myanmar are currently living in Jammu and Samba districts.
The Rohingya Muslims are mostly living in Jammu and Samba districts and came to the State after entering India illegally through either Indo-Bangladesh border or Indo-Myanmar border or travelling through the Bay of Bengal.
According to the State Government’s estimate, Rohingya Muslims are numbered at around 5,700 but it could go up to 10,000.
There are around 40,000 Rohingya Muslims living in different parts of the country and all of them have entered illegally.
Even though some of them registered with a UN refugee body, India does not recognize it.
Some of the Rohingya Muslims were found to be involved in petty crime but no one was found to be involved in any major crime nor any one has been found to be radicalized but there were Intelligence inputs that certain anti-national elements could attempt to woo these foreign nationals using hawala money.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had said in the State Assembly on January 20 that some ‘Madrasas’ were associated with Rohingya Muslims in the State.
Mehbooba had said no Rohingya Muslim has been found involved in militancy-related incidents but 17 FIRs have been registered against 38 Rohingyas for various offences including those related to illegal border crossing.
Rohingyas originally belonged to Rakhine province of Myanmar and many of them have left the country due to alleged persecution by another community.
Meanwhile, according to sources, law and order and militancy-related situation in Jammu and Kashmir was also reviewed at the high-level meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary.
Situation along the borders was also discussed at the meeting and necessary steps required to maintain peace on the borders and the hinterland were debated. The Union Home Secretary has assured full support of the centre including deployment of additional para-military forces in the Kashmir Valley for Lok Sabha by-elections and Shri Amarnath ji yatra.
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