Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: BJP wants Shivraj to apologise for remark

BJP wants Shivraj to apologise for remark
================================================================================
NewsByte on 23 May, 2008 07:11:59
 
By OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, May 23: Strongly reacting to Union home minister Shivraj Patil's
remarks on the row over the detention camps for illegal Bangladeshi migrants,
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Friday demanded Mr Patil's apology. Mr Patil
apology was also demanded for his reported remarks equating Sarabjit Singh with
Afzal Guru. Mr Javadekar said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should take
action against Mr Patil if he fails to apologise and the Prime Minister should
himself give an explanation to the nation on both counts.
Mr Prakash Javadekar challenged Mr Shivraj Patil's contention that the Central
government has not issued any direction regarding detention centres for illegal
Bangladeshi immigrants. "The meeting of the nodal authority of the home ministry
on the deportation of Bangladeshi migrants was held on January 24, 2007. It was
clearly stated that the state government should set up detention centres for
detention of illegally staying foreigners pending their deportation."
***
Ministry clarifies remark
By OUR CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, May 23: The Union home ministry on Friday said that the Opposition
BJP is "misinterpreting'' Union home minister Shivraj Patil's remarks equating
Parliament attack case accused Afzal Guru and Sarabjit Singh.
Home ministry spokesperson Omkar Kedia said the statement of the home minister
should be read "in the proper context and in entirety".
"It should not be misinterpreted," he added. Reacting to the BJP's demand for
an "apology'' from the home minister, the MHA said that the ministry had also
not issued any directions to the Rajasthan government to put illegal Bangladeshi
immigrants in transit camps.
The MHA clarified by saying that "the issue of identification and deportation
of illegal immigrants is a continuing process and is dealt with as per the
provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946. This, inter alia, provides for detection
of foreigners staying illegally in the country and, issue of directions to
restrict their movements and for their detention and deportation", said the MHA,
adding that the Powers of the Foreigners Act have been delegated to the state
governments as far back as 1958.
The MHA added that "unnecessary confusion" is being created by such remarks of
the BJP.