Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the Centre has asked states to collect biometric information about Rohingya refugees in India. Singh said the government will take action through diplomatic channels with Myanmar, reported The Indian Express.
“We have already issued a concerned advisory on this issue,” Singh told reporters after a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council at the West Bengal Secretariat. “The states have been asked to identify them and collect their biometrics. After that they will send a report to the Centre.”
He also assured state governments that the Centre will provide them with adequate central forces if required.
The home minister’s remarks come after the Supreme Court directed the Centre to ensure that Aadhaar is not issued to undocumented migrants.
On Thursday, Singh had said Rohingyas were “illegal migrants” as they had not applied for asylum as refugees and asked political parties to not make a matter of national security a “political issue”. He had said states have been asked to monitor their movements and collect their details in order to be deported to Myanmar.
Around 14,000 Rohingyas living in the country are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, while about 40,000 are said to be staying illegally, according to Hindustan Times.
Earlier this year, the Centre asked all states to ensure that police or intelligence agencies monitor the activities of undocumented immigrants, including Rohingya, and restrict them to specified locations. The Ministry of Home Affairs directed state governments to review steps taken to prevent the entry of undocumented immigrants.
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