Responding to a suggestion made later by Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Somnath Chatterjee, the Home Minister said the government was willing to have a short discussion on the issue at any date earmarked by the Speaker.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, in the meanwhile, has lashed out at the Congress and the Left parties for trying to communalise the issue. ``In Tripura and West Bengal, they are dependent on the support of these infiltrators,'' party spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu said while referring to a series of articles and documents to highlight the problems posed by the Bangladeshi migrants. ``We are ready for a nation-wide debate on the issue,'' he added.

Making his statement in the Lok Sabha in response to the demand made yesterday by the Congress and theLeft parties, Advani said that the suspected foreigners were given adequate opportunity by the State Government to produce proof of their national status by way of birth certificate, school leaving certificate, ration card, electoral identity card, or domicile certificate.

Amidst interruption from Muslim League MP G M Banatwala, he added: ``In the event of failure to produce any such document, the suspect is charged under the relevant provisions of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, and the Foreigners Act of 1946, and produced before a metropolitan magistrate who gives sufficient opportunity to such persons for producing proof of nationality.''

According to him, these procedures were being followed by Maharashtra and and other states based on which illegal migrants were regularly being deported. ``It has also been informed that that the police parties escorting them, were carrying with them deportation orders issued by the deputy commissioner of police, special branch-I, CID, Mumbai,'' he pointedout.

He added that the West Bengal government had informed its Maharashtra counterpart that ``prima facie it transpired that some of the deportees brought by Maharashtra Police were Indian citizens belonging to some districts in West Bengal.''``They have also advised the Maharashtra government to ensure proper coordination with the West Bengal Police while deporting,'' Advani told the House.

He also informed the MPs that the Calcutta High Court, acting on the basis of a writ petition filed by some deportees, had restrained the Centre from deporting such migrants till August 28.