'Will we show insaniyat for only those from Bangladesh,' asks TMC's Sugata Bose

A member of Parliament from Trinamool Congress, Sugata Bose on Tuesday slammed the government's "operation insaniyat" policy for showing "insaniyat" (Humanity) to only those who are in Bangladesh.

While speaking in the Lok Sabha today Bose said, "External Affairs Ministry is conducting 'operation insaniyat' for Rohingyas in Bangladesh."

"There are 40,000 Rohingyas in India, will we show insaniyat for only those who are in Bangladesh?" he questioned.

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"Our external affairs ministry has been conducting operation insaniyat in Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh, are we only going to export our insaniyat to Bangladesh," he asked the government.

"Will we not showinsaniyat in our own country," Bose said amid uproar in Parliament.

Later, Kiren Rijiju, Union minister of state for home affairs, responded to Sugata Bose's statement saying that "India is probably the only country which has adopted such a soft approach to refugees."

"This is an unfortunate statement by him(TMC's Sugata Bose). India is probably the only country which has adopted such a soft approach to refugees," Kiren Rijiju said.

"We also told Myanmar that we are ready to assist them in providing facilities to Rohingyas when they return," Rijiju added.

Kiren Rijiju said the government has reports that some of the Rohingyas have been involved in illegal activities but he would refrain from getting into details.He said since they are illegal migrants, they are not entitled to any government facility.

The minister said the priority of the government is to take care of rights of Indian citizens.

Rijiju added that though they have not been given legal documents like ration cards, if they have acquired such facilities, it must have been done through illegal means.

The states, he said, have to ensure that such illegal migrants do not get legal documents so that they do not stake claim to citizenship at a later date.

Home minister Rajnath Singh said the BSF and the Assam Rifles guarding international borders have been sensitised to ensure that such illegal migrants do not enter the country.

Millions of Rohingya fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state after a military crackdown that started in August last year in response to attacks by ARSA on security posts. Myanmar has rejected accusations of ethnic cleansing and dismissed most accounts of atrocities, blaming Rohingya "terrorists".

Many of these Rohingyas have crossed the border to take refuge in neighbouring countries.

Bangladesh reportedly has given shelter to about 600,000 Rohingya who escaped persecution in Myanmar.

Last year in September, India extended its support to Bangladesh in providing humanitarian assistance support in handling the Rohingya crisis after PM Modi met Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.

Under "operation insaniyat" the relief material consisting of items required urgently by the affected people like rice, pulses, ready to eat noodles, mosquito nets etc were delivered to refugee camps in Bangladesh in multiple consignments by the Indian Air Force planes.