Rohingyas have links with Islamic State and ISI, court should not interfere with deportation: Centre to SC
02:17AM Tue 19 Sep, 2017
Many Rohingya refugees have links with the global terror outfit Islamic State as well as Pakistan’s spy agency ISI and allowing them to stay in India would pose a security threat to the country, the government told the Supreme Court on Monday.
The Centre also said the plan to deport Rohingya refugees was a policy decision and the court should desist from interfering in the matter.
The BJP-led government’s argument was in response to a petition filed by two Rohingya refugees challenging the Centre’s decision to deport an estimated 40,000 people of the community living in India.
The government said many Rohingyas have managed to avail PAN cards through forged documents.
The fundamental rights of Indians will also be seriously violated if Rohingya refugees are allowed to stay in the country and deprive Indians of their legitimate share, it added.
“This would lead to social unrest,” the government said.
The Centre said India has not signed any international treaty on refugees and was under no obligation to keep the Rohingyas, lakhs of whom have fled Myanmar over the past few weeks to escape a crackdown by government forces in the neighbouring country.
The top court will hear the matter again on October 3.
Ahead of the hearing, junior home minister Kiren Rijiju said the government’s stand to deport Rohingya refugees was in the nation’s interest.
“It is a sensitive matter. Whatever government will do, will be in nation’s interest,” Rijiju told reporters.
He also requested international human rights bodies not to spread misinformation about India and said: “India is a sovereign country and protecting the nation is our duty.”
The UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva last week slammed India over its stand on the Rohingya crisis.
Source: Hindustan Times
Published by Sahifa SM
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