NEW DELHI: A controversy erupted on Wednesday over allotment of government flats to Rohingya refugees in Delhi. Critics said it was against the Centre’s earlier claims that the Rohingya Muslims were not refugees but illegal immigrants and that the Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus from Pakistan living as refugees in the national capital should have been given priority in allotment of flats.
The outrage started after housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in a tweet, said, “India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision, all #Rohingya #Refugees will be shifted to EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees identity cards) and round-the-clock @DelhiPolice protection.”
