BJP's 'printing mistake': People from Northeast termed immigrants

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s vision document for Delhi Assembly polls on Tuesday sparked a row by describing people from northeastern states in the national capital as "immigrants", drawing a sharp attack from the Congress, after which the ruling party termed it as a "printing mistake" which will be rectified. The 24-page document that entails the party's road map in taking Delhi forward by making it a world-class city and steps in public welfare includes a section on "North Eastern Immigrants to be Protected". The section talks of special cells in all police stations and 24-hour helpline numbers to be set up "for protection of north-eastern migrants".

Later, in a damage-control act, the party later and Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, "It is a clerical and printing mistake. We will correct the mistake." He said people from northeast are not immigrants and cited his own example of representing the region.

Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman said, "One must go behind BJP's intentions of focusing on northeastern region and help the people from the region."

The party's vision document says, "Special cells in all police stations and special 24-hour helpline numbers to be set up for the protection of the northeastern migrants. To safeguard the students of northeastern origin, special guardianship will be arranged with local families for them." The Congress was quick to react, with its leader Ajay Maken saying, "It is BJP trying to say the people from northeast are not Indian citizens?"