New Delhi: In order to stop the Rohingyas from misusing Aadhaar cards and other identity cards, the government of India has started cancelling them.

According to an official communication, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issues Aadhar cards, to provide details of the already identified Rohingyas so that their Aadhaar cards can be cancelled with immediate effect. UIDAI has already cancelled 10 Aadhar cards of the Rohingyas living in Telangana.

Also read: Modi govt deports 2nd batch of Rohingyas from India, walks the talk on national security

In its official communication, the Indian government has said that the Rohingyas obtained Aadhaar cards and other identity cards fraudulently which need to be cancelled. Also, the state governments have been asked to cancel the state identity cards as soon as possible.

"These 10 Aadhaar cards were linked to bank accounts and various government schemes which the Rohingyas were using fraudulently. Now, they will not be able to enroll for government schemes as they are not Indians," a senior MHA official, who attended the meeting on the issue, said.

In the Parliament, the Central government has already said that it is aware that some Rohingyas have fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents like Aadhaar cards, voter cards, Driving License etc.

“Necessary instructions have been issued to UIDAI to ensure that no Aadhaar card is issued to illegal immigrants. The state governments have also been instructed for cancelling such documents obtained fraudulently by illegal Rohingya immigrants. No inputs regarding people providing illegal accommodation to Rohingyas have been received in this ministry," MHA has said in its written reply.

The Union government has also started sending the Rohingyas back to Myanmar. This month, seven Rohingya men were sent to Myanmar. This is the second batch of Rohingyas which has been sent back.

According to the government sources, the five Rohingyas who illegally entered India in 2014 and were lodged in a foreigner detention camp inside the Tezpur jail in Assam’s Sonitpur district. The five Myanmar nationals have been identified as Mohammad Riyas, Ahmed Hussain, Mohammad Ayas, Toyaba Khatun and Azida Begum. They are residents of Myanmar’s Buthitang.