Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that the structure constructed in Nelamangala (near Bengaluru) was not a detention centre. Instead, he said that it was meant to house those illegal immigrants that were accused of crimes. It can be recalled that up till now, Home Minister Bommai had said that the facility will be used to house illegal immigrants.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, December 24, Bommai said, “The facility was constructed by the Social Welfare Department. There are so many cases of Nigerian men and women attacking the police. If a case is registered against them, they will have to remain here. The facility is to house such people so that they can be deported to their countries.”

“It is not meant to house any person with issues about citizenship. It is not a detention centre,” Bommai added.

The Home Minister’s denial that the building is a detention centre comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that there were no detention centres in India while addressing a campaign rally in Delhi.

Bommai further insisted that the facility was under the purview of the Social Welfare Department and that it had not even been opened yet.

However, a report published by TOI on Tuesday, December 24, contradicts Bommai’s statement by stating that the detention centre has been opened for use.

While stating that the state government was looking to implement the NRC, Bommai had said, “We (government) have started the preliminary exercise to prepare the ground to introduce the NRC in Karnataka by collecting necessary information (about illegal immigrants). After this, we’ll discuss it with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and take a final call in a week or two.”