BJP justifies giving refuge to Pak, B'desh minorities

July 03, 2016 22:02

Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary Ram Madhav has said if the Centre's decision to give refuge to persecuted minorities of Pakistan and Bangladesh is communalism, then it is happy to be called "communalist".

"As regards the 2015 central government notification that offers refuge in India to persecuted minorities of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the stand of the government is that such minorities are not just Hindus but also Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Ahmadiyas etc.

"If giving them refuge is communalism, we are happy to be called communalists," Madhav said at an event to discuss the party's victory in Assam assembly polls, "The Assam Triumph".

The government, last year, had decided on humanitarian consideration to exempt Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities who have entered India on or before December 31, 2014, in respect of their entry and stay in India without proper documents or after the expiry of relevant documents.

He said borders in Assam will be sealed and constitutional steps will be taken to check infiltration.

Infrastructure is a priority for the North-East, and in this direction, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has allocated Rs one lakh crore for building roads in the region, he said.

"In last two yeas, the condition of roads in the North-East has improved tremendously," he said.

Madhav said the North-East is a gateway to South-East Asia, a region that is of strategic importance to India and the Centre's 'Look East Policy'.

"Assam has as many as five countries as neighbours and its development will contribute significantly to 'Look East Policy'," he said.

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