Sushma should speak positive things about Rohingya refugees: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday declined to comment on BJP MP Varun Gandhi's statement on Rohingya Muslims but sought that not all of them be "treated as terrorists" and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj should speak positive things about them.

"I don't want to comment on Rohingya refugees because we don't understand what is government's foreign policy.

"However, no community..be it Hindus who have come from Bangladesh or Hindus who have come from Pakistan or people coming from any other country who belongs to other communities, religions and groups, all of them can't be terrorists," said Congress leader Raj Babbar.

"Some of them could be so. I don't have any evidence or anything to comment about this. Rohingyas (situation) is a part of foreign policy. The External Affairs Minister (Sushma Swaraj) has spoken well in the UN. If possible, she should speak positive things about them as well," he added.

Asked about Varun Gandhi's remarks, Babbar said: "He is BJP MP and I don't want to comment on it."

Contradicting his party and government line, Varun Gandhi has stoked a controversy by advocating asylum to Rohingya Muslims who have fled persecution in Myanmar and are at the verge of being deported from India on security concerns.

--IANS

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