Plot Hatched To Bring Rohingya Muslims To Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: State Finance, Health & PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said a vested interest group has hatched a conspiracy to illegally bring Rohingya Muslims to Assam.

Addressing a press conference at Janata Bhawan at Dispur, Sarma said it is a matter of serious concern that the vested interest group has been successful to a certain extent to execute its conspiracy and the recent arrest of more than 30 Rohingya Muslims from different parts of Assam is evidence of such a development.

“Some organizations, including Sahil Educational Society, are seen sympathizing with Rohingya Muslims and trying to help them through different ways. A senior Assam Police official has even received a letter requesting the release of the Rohingyas since they possess refugee cards,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Minister, while hinting that the recent vigorous movement against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 helped the Rohingiya Muslims to sneak into Assam, said the State will not give shelter to Rohingiyas even if they possess refugee identity cards issued to them by the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.

According to the UNHCR, there are an estimated 17,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers registered with it in India and living across different locations.

“We will give shelter to Rohingya Muslims in case the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issues any directive in this regard. Unlike Telengana, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir we don’t have any official designated camps for Rohingyas in the State. All the arrested Rohingya Muslims are now in judicial custody and the court will give the verdict about their future,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said Rohingya Muslims coming to Assam started way back in 2009 when the Congress was in power. He said the first illegal Rohingya Muslim was arrested at Paltan Bazar bus station on September 22, 2009.

“The flow of Rohingyas continued in small numbers from 2009 to 2013. No such Muslim was detected in the State in between 2013 and 2017. Suddenly there has been a rise in the number of Rohingyas coming to Assam now,” Sarma said.

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