Forces successfully prevent 'Rohingya influx', India providing 'necessary support' to Banglades, says BSF director general

Indore: The Border Security Force (BSF) has successfully prevented the influx of Rohingyas into India after they fled Myanmar, director general of the force KK Sharma said on Saturday. He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at the BSF’s Central School of Weapons and Tactics in Indore. [caption id=“attachment_4097771” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] “As you know, about eight to 10 lakh Rohingyas (after fleeing Myanmar) have entered Bangladesh. We have successfully prevented their illegal influx in the country (India),” Sharma said. The BSF chief said the Indian government was providing necessary support to Bangladesh on the Rohingya issue. “Bangladesh is dealing with this problem very well. Bangladesh has kept all Rohingya refugees on an island and is extending full support to them. In this case, the Indian government is also providing support to Bangladesh.” The BSF guards the 41,000-kilometre-long border with Bangladesh. “They (Bangladesh) are trying at the international level to put a little pressure on the Myanmar government so that it (Myanmar) take its citizens (Rohingyas) back,” Sharma stated. He, however, refused to reply to a question on recent statement of his in which he reportedly referred to West Bengal’s stand, in the context of granting shelter to Rohingyas, as “slightly friendly”. “I don’t want to rake up the dispute by making any comment,” Sharma said. The BSF director general said there was peace on the India-Pakistam border because of the general elections in Pakistan, but cases of ceasefire violations and the intrusions by militants from across the border have begun coming up. “Pakistan is our neighbour, for which we have to remain alert and take necessary steps,” he said.