MHA wanted to shift Rohingya to West Delhi

By Our Special Correspondent

While the Union Home Ministry on Thursday denied giving any orders to provide EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats to Rohingya illegal migrants, plans to resettle at least 250 of them in west Delhi's Bakkarwala are in the works from at least March 2021.

According to a series of correspondences between the Home Police-II division of the National Capital Territory (GNCT) in Delhi and the NDMC chairman, "efforts have been made to shift some of the Rohingyas living in Shahzada Bagh and Lampur to suitable accommodation for permanent accommodation."Detention center for foreign prisoners at Bakkarwala village from June 2021.

The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in possession of a copy of the letter, revealed that the GNCT had itself requested the Home Department and the NDMC to “allot Barat Ghar. Along with all the EWS flats, Bakkarwala Village, Delhi, provides accommodation to foreign prisoners, along with minimum housing facilities. Sources said it referred to Rohingya migrants.

The June 2021 letter was followed by at least two meetings between MHA, Delhi government officials and senior police officials in January and July 2022. In two meetings, police officials came forward to keep 250 Rohingyas in one place for effective surveillance.