Pune, Dec 21 (IANS): Adopting a tough stance, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray on Saturday declared that illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who have settled in India deserve to be "thrown" out as they pose an unnecessary burden on the country.
"These migrants go and scatter all over the country. The states have to bear their load. They take away the jobs of the local youth. Such migrants from anywhere should be driven out of the country," he said while addressing the media here.
He also took jibes at the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the Centre for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register for Citizens (NRC).
"I want to congratulate Union Home Minister Amit Shah for playing this game. With this one move, (CAA-NRC), all attention has been diverted from the economic crisis gripping the country," Thackeray said.
He demanded to know whether "there really is a need" to bring more people from outside into a country already having 135 crore and if India had become a 'dharamshala' (shelter-home) for refugees.
The MNS chief also wondered why people from some religions should be entitled to citizenship and others deprived.
He called upon the government to first ascertain how many Indian Muslims living here since centuries and who are the migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and then remove them from the country.
"I fail to understand, when the problems of our masses are not resolved, why should we take in more refugees and give them citizenship? Are we the only ones left to give asylum to the refugees? The government should first show concern for our peoples' welfare," Thackeray said.
On the huge protests against the pan-India CAA and NRC protests, he sought to know how many among them are the Indian Muslims and the migrants and whether the government was aware of all this.
"The police know everything, they are aware of the migrants living in their jurisdiction, but their hands are tied. They can't take action against them," he pointed out.
The MNS chief said that Indian Muslims living here since centuries have nothing to fear, and said wherever our local (Marathi) Muslims live, there are no disturbances or problems.
Thackeray also questioned the manner in which the CAA and NRC were going to be implemented amid reports that documents like Aadhaar Card, Election Card, etc many not be valid proof for citizenship.