Karnataka government takes U-turn on deportation of Rohingyas

Satya Prakash

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 30

Having told the Supreme Court that it had no immediate plan to deport Rohingyas living in Bengaluru, the BJP Government in Karnataka has taken a U-turn on the contentious issue.

In a fresh affidavit filed in the top court, the Karnataka Government – which had earlier opposed Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay’s petition seeking deportation of illegal Rohingya immigrants – dropped the controversial part of its September 20 affidavit which said there was no immediate plan to deport them.

The latest affidavit dated October 26 also omitted certain other portions its earlier “statement of objection” filed before the top court that had sought dismissal of Upadhyay’s PIL “in the interest of justice”, terming the grounds raised by him as “self-serving” and “untenable in law”.

Now it has said that 126 Rohingyas living in Karnataka had been identified and that they were not living in any camp/detention centre. “… whatever the order that would be passed by this court will be scrupulously adhered to and followed in its letter and spirit,” it said.

The latest affidavit of the Karnataka Government was silent on the reasons for the sudden change in its stand on the issue of illegal Rohingya immigrants. However, it was clear that the earlier affidavit went against the categorical stand taken by the Centre which said they were a security threat to the country and had no fundamental right to stay in India.

Amid raging controversy over Rohingya infiltrators allegedly getting settled in various parts of the country, the BJP Government in Karnataka has opposed before the Supreme Court Upadhyay’s PIL seeking directions to “identify, detain and deport all illegal immigrants and infiltrators, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas within one year”.

The Karnataka Government had earlier said it had no immediate plan to deport 72 Rohingyas living in Bengaluru. “The Bengaluru City Police have not housed Rohingyas in any camp or detention centre within its jurisdiction. However, 72 Rohingyas identified in Bengaluru city are working in various fields and Bengaluru City Police have not taken any coercive action against them,” it had said.

The top court had in March this year issued notice on Upadhyay’s PIL seeking directions to the Centre and states to detect, detain and deport all illegal immigrants within a year. He also wanted the top court to direct the Central and states to declare creating forged or fabricated PAN, Aadhaar numbers, Passports, Ration and voter cards and other such documents a non bailable and non-compoundable offence.

Alleging large-scale entry of illegal immigrants, particularly from Myanmar and Bangladesh, Upadhyay had in his PIL filed in 2017 contended that it not only threatened the demographic structure of bordering districts but also seriously impaired national security.

“Demographic composition in the country, particularly the bordering districts has altered with illegal immigration from Myanmar and Bangladesh. The bordering districts of Assam, West Bengal Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura have recorded growth of population higher than the national average. Illegal immigrants have been using West Bengal as a corridor to migrate to other parts,” he had submitted.