Time Bomb Ticking Away

 

 

 

After the Centre’s move to undertake a verification drive of Rohingyas living in Jammu illegally, the spotlight is on Hyderabad which has emerged as a major hub of illegal Rohingya infiltrators in the country. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 Rohingyas in Hyderabad. Thanks to the support provided to them by the radical Islamist political outfit, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi, the Lok Sabha Member, they are well-entrenched in the city.

 

In the wake of the Bangladesh Government shipping most refugees to an Island, Rohingyas are heading to India, especially Hyderabad. According to the State police data, there are more than 4,500 Rohingyas in Rachakonda. But their number is much higher. The involvement of these refugees in crimes is a cause of concern. They were already booked in 66 cases for their involvement in different cases, including drugs, fraudulently obtaining Indian identity cards including voter IDs, passports, Aadhaar cards etc. Two of them were already convicted for their offences. But there is no plan to send them back.

 

AIMIM corporators and leaders have been providing all kinds of facilities for Rohingyas, including Aadhar cards each ration cards and passports. Rohingyas have set up an exclusive television channel for themselves and sports teams. The State Home Minister personally visited one of the Rohingya settlements and distributed ration items to them. Acknowledging complaints from local activists about Rohingyas’ rising threat, the Prime Minister’s Office sought a report from the Telangana government. In response to that report the State Government claimed that it was not aware of the whereabouts of Rohingyas, though one of the Ministers had distributed ration items to the infiltrators.

 

It has been found that several youths in the camps have direct links with Islamist terror outfits such as the Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh, Popular Front of India and the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba. Intelligence agencies have warned that several youths have been recruited for terror activities from camps in Assam, Jammu and Hyderabad by Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.

 

It has come to the light that Rohingya youths in Hyderabad were indulging in many criminal activities, including human trafficking. The police refuse to take action despite complaints from local residents. The Rohingyas have also been mobilising funds through hawala channels and other criminal activities.

 

Another major threat that intelligence agencies have pointed out was that majority of the Rohingya settlements are close to security and defence installations and establishments. In Hyderabad, there is a settlement in Kanchanbagh near Hafeezbaba nagar, which is home to about 1000 Rohingyas. Hafeezababa Nagar houses several defence laboratories. Another settlement is in Balapur. After the intelligence agencies alerted the Government of the threat, the Defence have stepped up security around these establishments. What annoys the Defence establishment is the lackadaisical attitude of the State police.

 

Safe Haven in Arabian Sea Coast

Islamist Organisations like Popular Front of India and SDPI have also been taking up the cause of Rohingyas. With the help of certain dubious civil society organisations and media, these organisations managed to build a narrative that Rohingyas are a persecuted minority. But these organisations are silent about the terror cases registered against the Rohingyas and the security threat they pose to local residents due to their involvement in criminal cases. The Rohingyas have managed to register themselves as voters and these Islamist political parties find in them committed voters.

 

Several urban Maoist groups have also established rapport with Rohingyas. Although the State Police force is aware of their links, it has not cared to file charge-sheets in several cases.