Centre put on notice over plan to deport Rohingya

New Delhi, August 18

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Centre over plan to deport illegal Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar who are residing in various parts of India.

The Centre had said illegal immigrants like the Rohingya pose grave security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, and had asked state governments to identify and deport them. Taking note of the issue, the NHRC said that till today, the country has evolved a practical balance between human and humanitarian obligations on the one hand and security and national interest on the other.

Stating that “India has been home to refugees, for centuries”, the Commission has held that from the human rights angle, its “intervention is appropriate” in the matter.

“The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the plans of the Government of India to deport about 40,000 illegal Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar, who are residing in various parts of India. “It has issued a notice to the Union Home Ministry, through its Secretary, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks,” it said in a statement.

The NHRC observed that “refugees are no doubt foreign nationals but they are human beings and before taking a big step, the Government of India has to look into every aspect of the situation”.

The NHRC said the Centre has to look into the situation, “keeping in view the fact that the Rohingya are residing here for long and have a fear of persecution once they are pushed back to their native country”. — PTI