As against BJP MP Varun Gandhi's assertion that Rohingya Muslims be given shelter after addressing "valid security concerns", Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir on Tuesday criticised him for his views saying those who have national interest in mind should not make such statements.
"Jo desh ke hit mein sochega woh is tarah ke bayan nahi dega (Anyone who has national interest in mind, won't make such statements)," Ahir told newspersons here.
In an article written in a prominent Hindi daily, Varun said India must give asylum to Rohingyas but before that, analysis of genuine security concerns should be done. The BJP MP also said that there is a need for India to formulate a National Refugee Policy that differentiates between those fleeing from persecution and those fleeing on account of poverty. After Ahir's comments, Varun said his recent piece focused primarily on defining India's asylum policy, with clear demarcations on how "we would accept refugees". "As for the Rohingyas, I've called for empathy, leading potentially to asylum, while vetting each applicant for national security concerns (sic)," he tweeted.
In his article, he stressed on the need to have a refugee law and referred to the Constitution that State shall without discriminating nationality ensure safety of all lives. Varun said, India is signatory to additional terrorism protocol (Article 17) of SAARC which, according to the MP, says that no member nation will deport any refugee who is being tried or punished on account of his caste, grouping, religion or nationality.
Varun added that across the world, over 6.56 crore people are forced out of their respective countries and of these, 2.25 crore refugees are without any country, not having any nationality.
The BJP's resolution adopted in its national executive meet on Monday supported the Government's stand on the Rohingya issue, saying it fulfilled its responsibilities by providing humanitarian relief to them. Describing the Rohingya refugees as "illegal" immigrants, the Government had recently told the Supreme Court that some of them were part of a "sinister" design of Pakistan's ISI and terror groups such as the ISIS, whose presence in the country will pose a "serious" national security threat.