PTI, Assam :
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday said Hindu migrants from Bangladesh must be accommodated in the country and detention camps would be done away with once his party comes to power.
“As soon as we come to power at the Centre, detention camps housing Hindu migrants from Bangladesh will be done away with,” Modi told a public rally at Ramnagar here.
“We have a responsibility toward Hindus who are harassed and suffer in other countries. Where will they go? India is the only place for them. Our government cannot continue to harass them. We will have to accommodate them here,” he said.
Stating that this did not mean that Assam has to bear the entire burden, he said “it will be unfair on them and they will be settled across the country with facilities to begin a new life.”
Earlier, Hindus from Pakistan had arrived in Gujarat and Rajasthan, but Atal Behari Vajpayee during his prime ministership evolved schemes to accommodate them in different states, he said.
Modi alleged that the Assam government as a part of its vote-bank politics had violated human rights of Hindu migrants in detention camps.Speaking on the issue of “doubtful” voters, Modi said this was also a part of the Congress’ vote bank politics of denying a section of the people their right to vote.
He urged the Election Commission to remove the tag of doubtful voters and give these people the right to vote to ensure free and fair polls.
Modi said that there were two kinds of people who came from Bangladesh to Assam; those brought as a part of a “political conspiracy” for votebank politics of a particular party and others who were harassed in the neighbouring country.
