J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik Monday said the task of collecting 'biometrics' of Rohingyas (illegal immigrants from Myanmar) will be completed within next two months.
"Biometric details of Rohingyas will be collected within two months. Work is already on", Malik said while addressing the media on the occasion of reopening of bi-annual 'Darbar Move' offices here in the winter capital of the State.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had accorded top priority to the sensitive issue of identifying the total number of illegal immigrants settled across different states in India.
In the recent months he flagged the issue on different occasions and also sent repeated reminders to the different State Governments to collect biometrics of Rohingyas to initiate the process of their relocation to their home country.
In January 2018 a report of the State Home department had claimed that an estimated population of over 6500 Rohingyas are camping across 39 locations spread across five districts of the State.
According to official sources, "a total number of 3194 males and 2916 females are staying in the State with valid UNHCR cards while 413 Rohingyas are staying without these Refugee cards".
Most of these Rohingyas staying in Jammu are camping closer to vital security installations and have occupied large chunks of land in Bathindi, Narwal, Channi Himmat, Talab Tillo, Bari Brahmana, Rajiv Nagar, Kargil Colony, Gujjar Basti, Belicharana, Israrabad, Sidhra, Panama Chowk and Malik Market area on bypass road.
With every passing day their numbers are multiplying despite strict security restrictions at the Indo-Bangladesh border, possible route of infiltration inside the Indian territory for these citizens
of Myanmar.
On ground zero various political and other socio-political organisations disagree with the headcount. They are demanding immediate relocation of these illegal immigrants to ensure safety and security of local residents.
Needle of suspicion was also pointed towards them in the wake of fidayeen strike on Sunjwan army camp in Jammu on February 10, 2018. Alarm bells were also raised recently when large groups of Rohingyas made their way in to Kargil district without coming on the radar of the State intelligence and police agencies.
"Their numbers could be higher and large number of them are living in areas where it is difficult to isolate them and identify them", claimed a political activist and popular lawyer working alongside various socio-political organisations in Jammu.
On the occasion Malik also expressed condolences on the death of Jammu & Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secretary Anil Parihar and his brother, Ajeet in Kishtwar and said the terrorists who killed the brothers have been identified.
"Terrorists were frustrated as the local body polls were conducted smoothly; hence, they carried out this murder. The moral of the security forces is high, and no terrorists can disturb the panchayat elections," he said.
It has been proved that it was an incident of militancy, he said, adding that it "was an act of frustration on the part of militants and Pakistan".
"Those people (killers of BJP senior leader and his brother) have been identified. Soon, results will be before you (media)," Malik told reporters.