SC no to order on Rohingya

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 19

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to direct the government to ensure health and educational facilities to Rohingya refugees living in India after the Centre asserted that nobody had been denied such facilities on the basis of one’s nationality.

“We will not pass any interim order unless you bring some material contradicting the government’s claim,” said a Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

The refusal came after Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asserted there was no discrimination in grant of health and educational facilities to anyone.

“Nobody asks about your nationality when you go to a hospital,” Mehta told the Bench, which also included Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.

While dealing with another petition on the issue, the Bench earlier in the day directed the Centre to file a comprehensive status report on conditions in Rohingya refugee camps.

As advocate Prashant Bhushan — representing Rohingya refugees Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir — alleged that the government was lying to the court, the ASG asked him to put it on an affidavit and file it. Bhushan demanded that Rohingya refugees should be treated on a par with Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

“PIL petitioners file all sorts of false petitions with impunity... This court should order an inquiry into genesis of such PILs on issues having ramifications for national security,” Mehta said.