The clamour over the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in Jammu has grown louder as several parties are voicing their concern, alleging that it is a deliberate attempt to change the demography of Jammu city.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has put up hoardings in the city, asking the Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals to leave Jammu. One such hoarding has been installed outside Press Club in Jammu.
“As many as 5,743 Burmese (Rohingyas) are staying in the state. They have entered the state on their own and are staying at various places in the districts of Jammu and Samba,” the state government recently said in the Legislative Assembly.
JKNPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh has said that the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis had destroyed the beauty of Jammu city.
“Article 370 that grants special status to the state does not allow the government to settle immigrants here. How have they settled criminals here? They should immediately leave Jammu. Otherwise, we will force them to leave,” Harsh Dev has said.
Meanwhile, the Dogra Front and Shiv Sena activists today staged a protest against the settling of Rohingyas in Jammu and demanded that they should leave the state.
“It is a matter of concern. J&K is already reeling under so many threats of terrorism and communal cold war. The infiltration of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis poses a grave security threat,” president of the Dogra Front Ashok Gupta said while addressing the protesters today.
He alleged that settling the Bangladeshis and Rohingyas on the outskirts of Jammu was a plot to reduce the Dogra population to a minority.
The Shiv Sena on Thursday expressed concern over the rising population of the Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Jammu and asked the administration to evict them. The party appealed to the people of Jammu, especially Hindus, to wake up and get united to save the history, culture and identity of the Dogras.