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Opposition walks out of LS over Advani's assurance on deportation of Bangladeshis

The Congress, the Left parties, the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal walked out of the Lok Sabha today, expressing displeasure over the reply by Home Minister Lal Kishinchand Advani that due process of law was followed by the Maharashtra government while deporting certain people from Bombay recently.

Advani assured the House that no genuine Indian citizen, irrespective of caste, creed and religion would be deported from anywhere in the country. But the government was also aware that there was a large number of foreigners, including Bangladeshis, staying in the country as illegal migrants. The government would take action against them under the law, he said.

The action being considered to identify and deport illegal migrants included preparation of a national registrar of citizens and introduction of identity cards, he added.

Advani said he had taken up the matter relating to the alleged deportation of the Bangladeshis with the Maharashtra government. No person was deported on the ground of religion or language, he added.

They were deported after the metropolitan magistrate had declared them as illegal migrants.

Participating in the discussion, Tapan Sikdar (BJP), alleged that the West Bengal government and Left parties were encouraging illegal migrants to reside in the state by helping them get ration cards and enrolled them as voters. Laloo Prasad Yadav (RJD) criticised the Maharashtra government for the deportations.

UNI

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