Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday found fault with attempts to portray India as a “villain” in the Rohingya refugee issue.
Rijiju said it was a “calibrated design” to tarnish the country’s image as UNHCR chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein flayed attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar.
Rijiju said criticism of India on the Rohingyas, who have entered India illegally, undermines the country’s security.
“This chorus of branding India as a villain on Rohingya issue is a calibrated design to tarnish India’s image. It undermines India’s security,” Rijiju tweeted.
In a letter to the states on August 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that illegal immigrants not only infringe on the rights of Indian citizens but also aggravate the security challenges posed to the country.
It said the powers to identify and deport such people are with the states while noting that infiltration from the Rakhine state of Myanmar in the recent years has become a burden on the limited resources of the country.
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