Lucknow, Jan 30 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh minister Anil Rajbhar on Friday welcomed state cabinet’s decision to approve the resettlement of 99 Hindu Bengali families displaced from Bangladesh, calling it “extremely important” step and made a call for the implementation of such initiative across the country.
Anil Rajbhar, also UP government spokesperson, speaking to IANS said, ”This is a very good decision, and it should be implemented across the entire country.”
“Following the major decision taken by Modi government, the Uttar Pradesh administration is providing opportunities to such people, and no amount of appreciation for this initiative would be enough.” he added.
Recalling history, Rajbhar noted that Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar had written to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru highlighting the forced conversions of Hindus across Bangladesh and Pakistan, urging that those fleeing to India be granted citizenship. However, the government at the time imposed strict criteria and time limits, denying citizenship to those arriving later.
The Uttar Pradesh State Cabinet on Thursday cleared the proposal for the resettlement of “Hindu Bengali families” who were displaced from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, and are currently residing in Meerut district.
The decision comes ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, where the issue of refugee rehabilitation and citizenship has remained a politically sensitive topic.
According to government officials, 99 Hindu Bengali families have been residing on land earmarked for a lake in Nangla Gosai village of Mawana tehsil in Meerut district for decades. Officials said the families had been living there “illegally” due to the absence of a formal rehabilitation policy, despite their displacement dating back several decades.
To resolve the issue permanently, the state government has decided to relocate all 99 families to Rasulabad tehsil in Kanpur Dehat district, where they will be provided land and facilities for resettlement. Officials said the move aims to balance humanitarian considerations with environmental and legal concerns linked to the lake’s land.
The cabinet decision, party leaders say, reflects the government’s commitment to addressing long-pending rehabilitation issues while reaffirming its ideological position on refugee protection.
The state government is expected to begin the resettlement process in the coming weeks, officials added.
–IANS
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