NEW DELHI/JAMMU: The Central Government has informed the Rajya Sabha that it had issued detailed instructions for Rohingyas deportation, which was a continuous process.

Stating that Centre is vested with powers to deport foreign nationals illegally staying in the country under Section 3(2)(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju in written reply to a Rajya Sabha question stated that the powers to identify, detail and deport such squatters had also been delegated to the State Governments and UT administrations.

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“The Central government has directed the State Governments to constitute task force at district levels to identify and deport the illegally staying foreign nationals. Besides the issue of illegal immigration is taken up with the neighbouring countries during bilateral talks at various levels,” he informed RS. According to a senior home ministry official, there are estimated 60,000 Rohingyas who, after being disowned by Buddhist Myanmar, fled their homes and crossed over to India to take refuge here. Over 30 thousand Rohingya Muslims are based in Jammu alone. A committee was also formed in J&K to identify these foreign nationals to begin a process for their deportation.