Rohingya deportation to have far-reaching impact in Jammu: J-K BJP

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit on Thursday welcomed the deportation of Rohingya from India to their native country of Myanmar, terming it positive and progressive, and claimed it would have a far-reaching effect on the state.

India on Thursday deported seven Rohingya immigrants, who have been staying in Assam illegally, to their country of origin Myanmar, in a first such move.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court rejected the plea made by one of the Rohingya refugees seeking to restrain the Centre from deporting them to Myanmar.

"The deportation of seven Rohingya from Assam to their native country Myanmar will have a far-reaching impact in the border state of Jammu and Kashmir, and Jammu division in particular, which houses a large number of illegal immigrants," BJP state spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan told reporters here.

"These people have acquired identity cards, got registered as voters and even possess Aadhaar cards," he claimed, adding the BJP had been spearheading a movement for their identification and deportation from Jammu to countries of their origin, since long.

The party had also sensitized the Union Home Ministry and made several representations to the central leadership for their early deportation, Rattan said.

A petition in this regard was also filled before High Court by one of the member of BJP Legal Cell in 2015 he said.

There had been apprehension that the settlement of these illegal immigrants in Jammu division was a part of conspiracy to change its demography and also serve as a means of boarding and guiding elements working against interests of the nation, Rattan claimed.

The BJP leader said the Union Home Ministry has taken a few important measures to set in motion the process of deportation of illegal immigrants.