"AAP is settling them for sake of vote bank": BJP's Virendra Sachdeva on Rohingya issue

Calling for the removal of illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants from the city, Sachdeva claimed that these groups are depriving Delhi residents of their rightful opportunities.

"Rohingyas and Bangladeshis are taking away the rights of Delhi's citizens. These illegal immigrants must be removed, and we have made repeated demands to this effect. Delhi belongs to its residents and the people of India. The AAP is settling foreigners in Delhi and must answer for this... Hardeep Puri ji has already clarified the matter. We have not allocated any housing to Bangladeshis or Rohingyas. AAP is doing so for their vote bank politics," he told ANI.

When questioned about the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, Sachdeva stated that the party's symbol, the Lotus, is their only face for all constituencies in Delhi.

"Our CM face is one and the same across all 70 constituencies - it is the Lotus," he said.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi responded to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's statements on the Rohingya issue, accusing him of inconsistency and claiming that he was either "lying earlier or is lying now."

Speaking to the media, Atishi reiterated her accusation that the Central government is responsible for the settlement of Rohingyas in various parts of Delhi.

"He was either lying earlier or is lying now. The Rohingyas settled in different parts of Delhi are entirely here because of the Central government. They allowed them to enter India illegally, crossing six states to reach Delhi. Once here, the Central government provided them with housing and facilitated their settlement. Any misuse of resources or illegal activities by these migrants is solely the responsibility of the BJP-led Central government," Atishi said.

Previously, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had accused the AAP and Chief Minister Atishi of spreading "diversionary tactics, false narratives, and half-truths" about the rehabilitation of Rohingyas in Delhi.

Puri maintained that the facts about illegal Rohingya migrants were clarified promptly in a tweet, which he alleged the AAP had deliberately ignored.

In a post on X, Puri wrote, "The Aam Aadmi Party continues with its politics of diversion, false narratives, and half-truths. Facts about illegal Rohingya migrants were clarified in a tweet the same day, but they have chosen to ignore it and persist with their misleading claims."

He further stated that "no Rohingya migrant" had been provided government housing in Delhi.

"The AAP government is facilitating illegal Rohingyas in Delhi," Puri alleged. "Contrary to their fabricated rhetoric, they have settled these migrants in large numbers, provided them with electricity and water, and even pay them Rs 10,000," he claimed in his tweet.

On Sunday, Atishi wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing the BJP-led Central government of settling a "large number" of "illegal Rohingya migrants" in Delhi without consulting the state government.

Citing two older posts by Puri on X, Atishi claimed the issue has persisted for years. She called on the Union government to provide the Delhi government with a complete list of Rohingyas and their addresses. Additionally, she demanded that no further rehabilitation of Rohingyas in Delhi take place without consulting the Delhi government and its residents. (ANI)