Hindu migrants from Bangladesh must be accommodated: Narendra Modi

Silchar (Assam): Raking up a politically sensitive issue, Narendra Modi on Saturday batted for Hindu migrants from Bangladesh, asserting that they must be accomodated in this country while 'infiltrators' who form the vote bank must be sent back.

"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.

Modi said that there were two kinds of people who came from Bangladesh to Assam; those who are part of a 'political conspiracy' with an eye on vote bank of a particular party and others who were harassed in the neighbouring country.

"The infiltrators and those who have come with political objectives, they have to go back from where they have come," he said.

Modi said that infiltrators have to be sent back as they have not only taken away jobs of locals but have come with political designs in mind.

"Bangladesh is next to Assam, while Pakistan is next to Gujarat. Assam Bangladeshi se pareshan hai par pura Pakistan mujse pareshan hai. (Assam is hararassed by Bangladeshis whereas Pakistan is bothered by me)," the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate said.

"You have to decide whether you will continue to tolerate Bangladeshi harassment or put an end to it. I have come to you for your answer. Trust me and as soon as we come to power we will take immediate steps to redress these problems and ensure that justice prevails," 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, and 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.

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.