Concern on Mukherjee's remarks
APFA-Bhutan has expressed its deep concern on the statement given by Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pranav Mukherjee regarding the repatriation of one-lakh plus exiled Bhutanese, which he gave on last Saturday.
This was said in a statement issued by general secretary, Vidhyapati Mishra today.
"We are sad to quote him as saying the population of Bhutan is about 600,000. If these 100,000 people enter Bhutan it would create a demographic imbalance", says the statement. Bhutan News Service
The full text of the statement is as below:
Press Statement
APFA-Bhutan is much concerned of the statement given by Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pranav Mukherjee regarding the repatriation of one-lakh plus exiled Bhutanese, which he gave on last Saturday.
We are sad to quote him as saying “The population of Bhutan is about 600,000. If these 100,000 people enter Bhutan it would create a demographic imbalance."
The citizens longing for dignified repatriation since 17 years in camps, none other than genuine Bhutanese and they have rights to go back to their own country. We strongly say that it is not wise for India to decide that repatriation of refugees to Bhutan creates demographic imbalance.
From the very start of refugee exodus India has been a silent observer. Further, India must know that it is an undeniable fact that it is India that helped loaded Bhutanese citizens in Indian trucks and buses and dropped them in Kakarvitta (Nepal).
Exiled Bhutanese have already spent their life in ramshackle bamboo huts for almost two decades in pathetic conditions. Now India must not bar them to go back to Bhutan via India territory, same route through which they came to Nepal.
APFA-Bhutan urges India to prove itself as one of the largest democratic countries of the world by respecting the right to return of every exiled Bhutanese.