Illegal Bangladeshi migrants shouldn't get refugee status: BJP

KOLKATA: The BJP today said it was against giving refugee status to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India.

"Those who illegally came here for business or other purposes, they cannot get refugee status. We have said this in our manifesto also," BJP national spokesperson Siddharthnath Singh told reporters here.

He was clarifying a remark made by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at a rally in Serampore recently.

Modi had threatened to deport Bangladeshi immigrants if NDA comes to power, saying they were being welcomed in West Bengal with red carpet for vote bank politics.