BJP instigating people over presence of Rohingya refugees in Jammu: NC

Jammu: A senior National Conference (NC) leader has accused the BJP of instigating people over the presence of “illegal” Rohingya refugees in Jammu and said it virtually did nothing for their deportation over the past four years.

“Why the BJP is not acting even now (against Rohingya) instead of beating chests and instigating the people,” National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana told a series of public meetings during his day-long tour of his Nagrota assembly constituency here.

The NC leader criticised the BJP for “generating hype” over the issue. “Who is stopping New Delhi and Srinagar from deporting Rohingya under the Foreigners Act,” Rana said, adding the Rohingya refugees were settled in Jammu by the Centre.

The NC leader also defended Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives special rights to the permanent residents of the state. “The relevance of Article 35A is more crucial now than ever before,” he added.