Kerala CMO says no plans to set up detention centres

A detailed clarification has been issued by the Kerala Chief Minister's office denying any plans to set up detention centres in the state.

The Kerala CMO said that the previous Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state and the then UPA government at the centre put forth the plans to set up detention centres.

Detailing the sequence of events regarding the setting up of detention centre, the Kerala Chief Minister's office said, " In August 2012, seven years ago, the Union Government in a letter to all the Home Secretaries of the state-directed that Detention Center should be set up. The detention centre was to house those who enter the country illegally and those with visa, passport violations."

"Based on this letter, the Home Department convened a meeting on November 4, 2015. The then DGP and ADGP Intelligence, including the Prison Department IG attended the meeting. At the meeting, it was decided to set up such centres in the state. It was decided that they should come under the social justice department and the department needed to find the necessary building. It was also decided that the police department should be able to determine the staff for the operation and such centres should come up outside the police and jail departments,' the CMO said.

Further, it reads, "On February 29, 2016, the Director of Social Justice Department was assigned to submit a recommendation for the establishment of a Detention Center. It was then decided that a Managing Committee constituted by the Social Justice District Officer and the District Superintendent of Police would be appointed for this purpose.

The Chief Minister's Office said that the Social Justice Department had also asked the state Crime Records Bureau about people staying illegally in the state.

"The Records Bureau has not provided any information about this. There have been instances where reminders have been sent to the departments from the central government continuously in connection with the earlier letter," CMO said.

The CMO also said that none of the ministers of the present LDF government have seen any file in this regarding. "The government has ordered that the proceedings initiated by the former government from 2012 be halted following the present situation," it said.

Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government had assumed office in May 2016.