157 illegal Tamil immigrants efused to speak to Indian consular officials
Picture used for representational purpose. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: The 157 illegal Tamil immigrants, mostly from Sri Lanka, who had travelled to Australia by boat from Puducherry, refused to speak to Indian consular officials and were sent to a detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru on Saturday. The consular officials were to meet the asylum seekers after India agreed last week to take back the Indian nationals among them.
However, following their refusal to meet Indian officials, Australia said they had been transferred to the Pacific island of Nauru for “offshore processing.”
In a statement, the Australian minister for immigration and border protection, Scott Morrison, said the illegal immigrants “ will now be unable to take advantage of the humanitarian offer made by the Indian government that would have potentially enabled their return to India. The result of this venture means that, unfortunately, the arrangement with India has now come to an end.”
With the Australian government making it clear that none of the refugees, who include 50 children, will be able to return to India, home ministry sources say the Cabinet Committee on Security may eventually have to take a call on what step to take next.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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