Within hours of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeting in support of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for shifting Rohingyas to proper accommodation, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) delivered a snub on Wednesday, stating that the Delhi government should roll back its decision as the Centre was in the process of deporting the illegal foreigners to their respective countries.

MHA clarified that it did not give any directions to provide EWS flats to Rohingya illegal migrants at Bakkarwala in the national capital, as the Delhi government had proposed. "MHA has directed the Government of Delhi to ensure that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will continue at the present location at Kanchan Kunj, Madanpur Khadar as MHA has already taken up the matter of deportation of illegal foreigners with the concerned country through the Ministry of External Affairs," said the ministry's official statement. The MHA also directed the Kejriwal regime to declare the present location as a detention centre, which they did not do.

Urban Development and Housing minister Hardeep Singh Puri, reacting to Tuesday's reportage, tweeted, "India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision, all #Rohingya #Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in the Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs, and round-the-clock @DelhiPolice protection".

On Wednesday evening, Puri did not delete his two earlier tweets but wrote again on the social media that "the home ministry's press release with respect to the issue of Rohingya illegal foreigners gives out the correct position".

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, attacked the Centre on the Rohingya refugees and said they will have to shifted to apartments in the city due to security reasons.

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