States will identify Rohingyas, collect biometric details: Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh, while chairing a meeting of Easter Zonal Council, said that states will identify Rohingyas.

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Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday commented on the issue of identifying Rohingyas living in the country stating that the state government will identify the immigrants living illegally.

Singh has also directed the state government to take the biometric details of the Rohingyas after identifying them, news agency ANI reported.

The states will be sending a combined report to the Centre, Singh said. 

The central government, after assessing the report sent by the state government, will initiate actions with Myanmar through diplomatic channels.

Singh is hopeful that the issue of Rohingyas will be resolved.

Singh chaired a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council here to discuss issues related to inter-state relations and security matters, including the Maoist menace.

The meeting was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi. 

Odisha was represented in the meeting by Finance Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera.

The Union Home Minister said that the states required central forces which the Centre would provide as per need.

In September last year, the Centre told the Supreme Court that Rohingyas posed a serious threat to national security with links to terror outfits, including the Islamic State.

(With Agency Inputs)